More Than Just Imaginary
by Shards of Night
Summary: Little Mintkit finds shelter with her imaginary friend, Rosekit. Rosekit has everything; the looks, and the skills. But, as Mintkit ages, a series of mysterious attacks happen in RobinClan, and she fears that Rosekit might be real...or worse.
1. Prologue and Allegiances

**Here we go again! This time, I'm combining the Allegiances and Prologue together to keep myself from mistaking my chapter count. I didn't change the prologue; I love this chapter. In the Allegiances, you might see some changed descriptions, added characters, etc.**

**I suppose those of you who didn't see my story then can review this chapter, but please, R&R so I know you're all with me!**

**-Shard**

**Prologue**

The world was...dark... Rosefeather was floating...drifting...into the expanse of murk.Her creamy-brown paws flayed out, scooping in the blackness, before it seemed to fade...swirling into the dark surroundings. Rosefeather looked around her, praying for that small, blinding light in the distance that brings you back into where you belong...

In StarClan.

_But Rosefeather, cats like you don't belong in StarClan! _Her inner voice screamed in her ears. Rosefeather paused from her thrashing, and closed her eyes; letting memories of her betrayal come back to her mind.

Killing her brother, Snakepaw...

Attacking Shadowfang...

Trying to kill Redstar...

Rosefeather grinned, remembering it all. How her inner voice had cooed her to doing it, laughing along with her as the beautiful, crimson-stained her paws... Wait, no. _Their_ paws. Rosefeather felt her fur prickling as her inner voice reminded her of her past.

A whirl of wind tugged at her fur. Rosefeather kicked, allowing her claws to slide out. Nothing stopped as the swirling wind brought her down, pulling her away from where she fell.

One moment, she had been in the dark forest, flirting with a handsome dark forest warrior, Eaglestripe, when the 'leader', Thistlestar, had sent her down this...expanse.

Everything shocked her as she opened her eyes, finding herself in a dim, yet familiar forest.

"Tawnyfire! Splashflower needs you,"

"Can't this wait, Rainclaw?"

"It's urgent, Tawnyfire,"

"Fine. I hope that Embersky and Birdstreak's burdock root can wait."

_Tawnyfire...? Embersky...why do those names seem so...familiar...? _Rosefeather thought as she leaned against a birch tree for support. She gasped for breath, the wind knocked it out of her.

_Mousebrain! Stupid Rosefeather, remember Redstar's little son, Tawnykit? Who grew to be Tawnyfire? Embersky is Tawnyfire's sister, you forget this all so easily! _Her inner voice shouted in her head. Rosefeather snapped open her eyes. Now she remembered!

Rosefeather stood up, awaiting to lift herself up to peek at the brave Redstar's son. Trying to look over the bush, she found that she couldn't lift herself that high as she normally could. _What? I usually can see over these bushes... Why am I so small?_

A cool breeze blew through her fur, making Rosefeather grit her teeth and dig her claws into the soil to keep herself from falling over as her fur was tugged down with it. She craned her neck to see the state of her fur, finding that it was more fluffy and kit-like than her normal, long fur. _I'm small...a small breeze almost made me fall over...and I have kit fuzz... I'm a kit!_

Rosefeather let out a tiny, small rasping noise that was supposed to be a growl.

_Roseyfeather, now where is Tawnyfire going? Hm? You're a kit now, no doubt, but that doesn't mean that you cannot go into RobinClan camp again...as a lost spirit. _Her inner voice hissed slowly and gently, as if saying Rosefeather couldn't understand normal speech now that she was a kit.

_Great idea! Maybe if I tried to get one of those kits to see me... Oh, I have a great idea! _She told her inner voice. Memories of coming through the RobinClan territory flooded her mind, but she forced them back.

Rosefeather paused, looking at the vie swirled tunnel that lead into RobinClan camp. Slipping through the leaves, flapping in the wind, and the green entanglement, she found herself shrinking back as she was inside the RobinClan camp...again.

It was all the same, but Rosefeather shook her head to clear it. No time for looking around the camp. Time to find a kit.

As she expected, no cat even knew she was underneath their feet, slithering around like a snake, and preying on their young. _Stupid as always._

The nursery came to her, as she looked through the large, stone den and into the nursery. Two she-cats where inside, curled around their mewling kits, while Tawnyfire spoke to a gray tabby, who Rosefeather remembered to be Splashpaw. _Their mates? _She thought, stopping for a moment before snapping to reality.

"Mintkit will be fine, Splashflower. I'm sure that Windkit didn't mean it when she says she talks to herself," Tawnyfire's deep, rumbling voice came closer as Tawnyfire had one forepaw outside of the den.

"I'm not lying! She was!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

_Were kits always this annoying? _She stood in front of the entrance of the nursery.

Mintkit spun around, but stopped as she saw Rosefeather. "Tawnyfire...there's someone standing next to you," Mintkit squeaked in fear.

Tawnyfire looked right through Rosefeather, not even knowing she was there. "Mintkit, there's no one here." He murmured lovingly. Mintkit gave him a look.

"Watch," he growled. Tawnyfire swept a blow in Rosefeather's direction, knocking the wind out of her and sending her flying into the wall.

Of course, no one heard Rosefeather at all, none except Mintkit. "You hurt her!" She snapped, attempting to crawl out of her nest to come to Rosefeather's aid, but was held back by Splashflower.

"There. Is. No. One. There." She growled, her green gaze softening a bit. Tawnyfire padded out of the nursery, leaving Rosefeather to scramble up. Glancing at Mintkit, she smiled warmly to the kit, who beamed back at her. _Maybe you'll be of some use after all..._

**Allegiances**

RobinClan

Leader: Silverstar-silver she-cat with white paws

**Apprentice, Darkpaw**

Deputy: Tawnyfire-small golden tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat: Embersky-pretty cream she-cat with soft green eyes

**Apprentice, Birdstreak**

Warriors: Flamestripe-ginger tabby tom

Brambleheart-light brown tom

**Apprentice, Snowpaw**

Rowanberry-gray she-cat with green eyes

Falconclaw-dark brown tabby tom

Heathershade-dark brown-and-ginger she-cat with bright blue eyes

Goldenfur-golden tabby she-cat with pale golden eyes

Rainclaw-gray tom with amber eyes

Riversong-silvery she-cat with blue eyes

Brackenfire-big brown-golden tom with bright yellow eyes

Apprentices: Darkpaw-jet-black tom with green eyes

Birdstreak-brown she-cat with black streaks; medicine cat apprentice

Snowpaw-long-haired white she-cat

Queens: Duskshine-black-and-white she-cat, mother of Falconclaw's kits: Ashkit (gray tom) and Sleetkit (black tom with a white chest)

Splashflower-gray tabby she-cat with darker paws, tail-tip and ears, mother of Tawnyfire's kits: Windkit (brown streaked she-cat) and Mintkit (light gray she-cat)

Elders: Crowclaw-old, gray muzzled dark gray tom, oldest cat in RobinClan

Rabbitspring-long-legged mottled brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Larkwing-tortoiseshell she-cat with blind amber eyes


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Her body twitched as her mother's tongue rasped against her soft, light gray fur. She didn't stir or open her eyes; she found that to be a giant effort in which she'd put off.

"Mintkit," she whispered softly, "get up, honey. It's nearly sunhigh," Splashflower nudged her daughter again with her nose.

Mintkit groaned, before prying open her eyes and blinking in the dazzling sunlight.

"There, now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Splashflower purred, rubbing her muzzle on her daughter's cheek.

She turned, rolling her eyes at her mother. "Yes," she sighed, laying back into the nest again.

"Mintkit, get up. Stop being a lazy lump." Mintkit opened one eye to see her sister, Windkit, licking a brown paw and drawing it over an ear.

The light gray kit laughed at her sister's order. _Imagine her as a mother, _she thought, grinning.

Windkit opened a yellow eye, narrowing it at Mintkit. The brown streaked she-kit stuck her tongue out, before lashing her tail.

"Hmph." she mewed, before getting out of the moss woven nest and bounding out of the nursery.

"Touchy." Mintkit yawned gently, before laying back down in the nest.

"Mintkit," She let out a hiss, before picking up her head. Why did everyone insist on making sure she was awake? Mintkit purred once she realized that Rosekit was standing a tail-length away from her nest.

Rosekit grinned, before waving her tail towards the entrance of the nursery.

"Come on, Mintkit. Let's go out and play," she meowed, padding out into the bright light. Mintkit didn't bother even consulting her mother about this; Windkit didn't either.

The sunlight lit the entire camp up with a languid feeling, and downy white clouds swirling in the vast blue sky. Mintkit inhaled deeply, the smell of pines and mouthwatering prey filling her small body.

"Come on; stop sniffing the air so much! Enjoy being able to pad around freely," Mintkit turned to see Rosekit prancing through the long stalks of grass. Mintkit shrugged, before bouncing to her friend.

Rosekit had just…came to Mintkit one day, late at night. The creamy-brown kitten had been unknowingly knocked into the stone wall of the nursery, seen by none but Mintkit. Mintkit immediately befriended Rosekit, chatting with her constantly. She never learned where Rosekit came from, only that her name was Rosekit. Not that Mintkit minded her friend's mysterious coming, she just was happy for the company.

"Where's Windkit?" Mintkit suddenly asked, remembering her sister.

Rosekit's left ear pricked, but she flattened it to her head a heartbeat later "Who cares," she hissed bitterly, her tail-tip twitching. "She's never been nice to us, has she?"

Mintkit's own ears descended towards her head. "No…but, still maybe she and Sleetkit and Ashkit will want to play with us," Mintkit meowed.

Rosekit snorted, "I _highly _doubt it, Mintkit, but whatever you say."

Mintkit flashed a smile to Rosekit, before bounding off. Windkit's scent erupted from the elders den, a fallen cedar tree with a hollow center, in which the three elders—Crowclaw, Rabbitspring, and Larkwing—stayed, accompanied by the visiting apprentices, kits, and warriors.

Rosekit, with an annoyed look on her face, strolled beside her, muscles faintly showing through her long, creamy-brown fur. _I guess Windkit must be talking to the elders…I don't know why, though. She hasn't shown any interest in the elders before._

Mintkit skidded to a halt, blinking slowly as the impressive cedar log stood before her. Mintkit poked her nose into the den, seeing Windkit, Sleetkit and Ashkit sitting up straight as Crowclaw addressed to them.

"…And so, with that, the great Doveflight defeated Red, slashing his throat. His blood slipped into a nearby stream, and the red liquid soon washed away. Red was no more." Mintkit's ears immediately pricked when she heard her kin, Crowclaw, speaking, his old voice rumbling through the cedar.

The other elder, Larkwing, chuckled as the kits gawked at the old tale.

"Seriously? Doveflight, a medicine cat, defeated a cat like Red?" Ashkit meowed in awe.

Crowclaw laughed lightly, nodding. "Yes. She didn't use her claws or fangs; she used her mind. Red was as strong as a lion, but his brain wasn't quick. She quickly used rocks to make him lose footing, and then she attacked."

Ashkit just gasped. "That's amazing!" he squeaked, his tail kinking over his back.

Mintkit stepped a paw further into the elders den, making sure not to make a lot of noise.

Rabbitspring's ears pricked once her paw stepped on a ball of moss. His eyes met hers, but he just grumbled something inaudible, before closing his eyes. _He's always such a great, big grump. He just mutters something and falls asleep. _Mintkit padded in, flashing a glance to the elder.

"Mintkit," Crowclaw purred as Mintkit padded in confidently, "It's nice to see you." Windkit twisted her head around to look at Mintkit, before rolling her eyes and looking back at Crowclaw.

Sleetkit must've not registered her arrival; but Mintkit betted two mice that he was a big goof when Windkit came outside.

Larkwing smiled at Mintkit, her sightless amber eyes looking off at the distance. _How did she go blind? _Mintkit sat next to Ashkit, who smiled once she padded beside him. _I don't think anyone who wasn't alive at that time knows..._

The light gray she-kit settled in the moss. "Larkwing, I have a story to ask you for," Mintkit called to the older tortoiseshell.

Larkwing looked in her direction, but not exactly at _her. _"Yes, of course Mintkit. What is it?"

Mintkit narrowed her eyes a little bit, but not so much that it was noticeable.

"How did you go blind?" she asked, her tail flicking.

Rosekit appeared beside Mintkit suddenly, her eyes narrowed to slits. "I wonder…," she hissed with an indifferent tone.

Larkwing shifted uncomfortably, while Crowclaw just shifted over so that Larkwing can face the crowd of kits. Rabbitspring's amber eyes opened for a bit, but closed as his head rested on his great paws.

Larkwing gulped, before sighing. _It's not that big of a deal, right? _Mintkit craned her neck so she would see Larkwing's face the whole time.

"This is in the past, kits. This one, particular cat is long dead; and dead cats like this cat are…gone." Larkwing almost growled.

Ashkit looked at Mintkit for a heartbeat, a flash of concern in his eyes, before looking back at the speaking elder.

"I was a curious, snoopy apprentice in this time, I wasn't much younger than Silverstar herself, and I wasn't much older than Tawnyfire. But, with this, curiosity came at a price for me. We never suspected….Rosefeather at this time. I never did either, I was just an apprentice. So was she. Rosefeather, or Rosepaw, was going out hunting with her brother, Snakepaw. I thought I'd watch them hunt, and learn some tricks for myself so I could become a warrior earlier."

"But, I should've stayed in camp. As soon as Rosepaw and Snakepaw were away from camp, Rosepaw attacked Snakepaw, holding his head underneath the water of the stream. She scratched him as well, making so much blood flow from his smaller body. Soon, he fell to the ground, dead.

"I gasped, making enough noise for Rosepaw to hear me. I tried to run, I really did, but she caught me soon enough, before holding me down and making me swear I'd never tell. I wanted to tell Ashstar, so I refused. That's when she said, 'Then we shall make a pact. A blood pact. And I shall take the blood from your eyes, and let you live. But, I will watch the blood fall from your eyes like the tears that will be shed if you are ever to speak. For, you will never see again. ' Then the world was black. I kept my mouth shut, because I knew she'd kill me the second I was alone."

Mintkit blinked slowly once Larkwing had finished. How had no one told her? Larkwing's tale shouldn't be rejected, she became an elder so early!

Windkit's ears flattened to her head, her tail-tip flicking. "So, you became medicine cat apprentice, then medicine cat, and then retired?" Windkit asked, her head cocking to one side.

Larkwing shook her head. "Embersky was the medicine cat apprentice at that time; a medicine cat can't have two apprentices. I earned my elder name, Larkwing, when I was still a very young 'paw. I never became a warrior, and the rest of my life I've been here." Larkwing gestured to the old cedar, her eyes expressionless.

Sleetkit blinked thoughtful green eyes at Larkwing. "That's sad, Larkwing," he meowed.

Larkwing just shrugged. "It's fine now, Sleetkit." she sighed, her words not heartfelt.

Crowclaw touched Larkwing's shoulder with his tail. "But you've been great company, Larkwing. Right, Rabbitspring?" the elderly tom asked.

Rabbitspring opened an amber eye, before narrowing it. "Yeah, sure, whatever," he grumbled, before closing his eye.

Crowclaw rolled his eyes, nudging Larkwing to her paws. "Well, I suppose that's enough stories for one day. Goodbye, kits, and get back to your mothers," he rasped, brushing Windkit's spine with his tail-tip.

"Wow, I can't believe Doveflight defeated Red! Hey, Windkit, Mintkit, want to play?" Ashkit meowed to his brother, Sleetkit, before turning to look at the two sisters.

Mintkit's gaze drifted to the sleeping Rabbitspring, then to Rosekit.

Crowclaw and Larkwing ambled out of the elders den, padding to the fresh kill pile.

"I'm good, Ashkit. I'll stay here for a bit," Mintkit meowed.

Ashkit's dark blue eyes flashed with an emotion that Mintkit couldn't figure out. "Oh, okay."

Windkit bounded behind the two brothers as they padded out of the den. Mintkit's ear flicked, her eyes narrowed as the three kittens shapes disappeared into the sunlight. The light gray kit turned, seeing Rabbitspring awake and letting out a large yawn.

"Finally, everyone's gone. Now, I've just got to get rid of you, Mintkit," Rabbitspring growled, his tail lashing.

Mintkit narrowed her eyes, her claws digging into the moss. "Okay, why are you such a grump?" she hissed, sitting in the moss.

Rosekit padded beside her, sitting down and watching Rabbitspring with narrowed eyes. "Because he's a jerk…." she mumbled, only so loud that Mintkit was the only one to hear. Mintkit shot a glare in Rosekit's direction, before looking pointedly at Rabbitspring.

The old, long-legged, mottled tom just curled his lip back. "That is none of your business, Mintkit. Just because Tawnyfire is your father, that does not give you the right to boss an old cat around," he spat, his tail lashing.

Mintkit's neck fur rose, her icy eyes narrowing down to slits. "Fine, then why do you pretend to be asleep, and grumble underneath your breath?" she hissed.

Rabbitspring sighed, settling back in his nest. "You get to my age, and everyone forgets about what you've done in the past. You become this lazy, old bag that everyone is forced to feed. Then, your kin dies, and you're the only one left," Rabbitspring set his head back on his great paws, his eyes starting to close. "Trust me, after you're an apprentice, and your job to give the elders moss is done, you'll never come back," he growled.

"The only older cat who sets a paw in here is Silverstar," he hissed, his smug face fading into forlone.

Mintkit blinked slowly. She never noticed that no other cat came in here. She always thought that they were just too busy, not because they just don't want to. _If I were to retire from my warrior duties…I'd pray for Windkit to be alive so that I'd have someone to talk to still. _Mintkit sighed, before dipping her head in deep respect.

"I suppose I get why you're a grump, but you don't have to take it out on Larkwing. She hasn't done anything to you," she sighed, thinking back at the tortoiseshell's hurt expression once Rabbitspring had answered 'Yes, sure, whatever'.

Rabbitspring didn't answer; Mintkit guessed that he was trying to sleep.

"Well, goodbye, Rabbitspring." she meowed, waving him a goodbye with her tail.

Rabbitspring grunted his reply.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

Mintkit trotted beside Rosekit, padding to where Ashkit, Sleetkit, and Windkit were playing. Ashkit bounced around, his tail waving as Sleetkit swatted a paw in his direction. Windkit squeaked in joy as her yellow eyes caught a small rock. Easily, the skinny, brown-streaked she-kit cuffed her small forepaws around the edge.

Rosekit rolled her amber eyes. "_Why _do you want to play with _them_?" she hissed, her claws sliding out and onto the grass.

Mintkit smiled faintly. "It'll be fun," she purred, nudging Rosekit's shoulder.

Her friend just rolled her eyes, again. "Sure..." she meowed, padding off.

Mintkit blinked, slowly, before smiling. Running ahead of Rosekit, Mintkit bounded in four long bounds, before skidding to a halt.

"Hey, guys!" Mintkit purred warmly to her sister and friends. Windkit's haunches were bunched, and the brown she-kit looked ready to pounce on Ashkit.

"Hey, Mintkit," Sleetkit meowed, bouncing on top of his brother.

"Uh…what are you guys playing?" she asked, her head cocking to one side.

Sleetkit looked over his shoulder, before cuffing Ashkit's ear. "We're reenacting the battle with Red. Ashkit's Red, I'm the leader of that time, Gorsestar, and Windkit's Doveflight," He almost growled, before being barreled over by Ashkit.

"Oh, cool! Can I play?" She asked, stepping forward.

Sleetkit looked hesitant, whereas Ashkit shoved his brother aside. "Oh, yes! You can play, and be….oh, Maplefeather! The deputy!" Ashkit bounced up and down excitedly.

Sleetkit pushed his brother off him, before curling his lip back. "You mousebrain! Maplefeather wasn't there in the battle!" He growled, his fur prickling.

Mintkit watched Ashkit get up, shaking his pelt. _I can see right through you, Sleetkit. _"Oh? And Gorsestar was there?" Ashkit snapped, his neck fur rising.

Windkit leaped off the rock, pushing herself between the two brothers. "We don't have to play, you know. All four of us should find a game where _everyone_ is included," she meowed.

Mintkit sighed, before waving her tail. "No, it's cool. You three can go back to your game, I don't care," Her eyes were full of hurt, but she padded to the nursery.

Mintkit felt Ashkit's dark gaze boring into her back, but she shook it off. If he wanted her to play so badly, then why not chase after her?

Mintkit sighed yet again as she drew near the nursery, where she'd have to hear her mother and Duskshine talk. _'Oh, did you hear about Riversong and Brambleheart?' 'Oh, I know this she-cat in BriarClan, her mate might have cheated on her.' _She didn't think that she could handle all of the gossip that came from their mouths.

"Mintkit," She turned, seeing Ashkit bounding toward her. In the background, Sleetkit and Windkit were playing around; probably as their play fursona's Red and Doveflight. "I came so we could play a game." He meowed, smiling warmly.

The long-furred she-cat felt her chest swell at that sentence. "Oh, I don't want to play a game…but maybe we could walk around camp?" She asked, her ear flicking.

Ashkit shrugged. "Whatever you say," he meowed, padding beside her as the two padded toward the apprentices den.

"I'll be in there in two moons," Ashkit purred, pointing his tail to the hazel bush where the apprentices den was formed.

Mintkit's ear twitched. "Three moons," she sighed, her nose wrinkling.

Rosekit padded beside Mintkit proudly. "Three moons." She meowed, holding her muzzle up.

Mintkit's eyes rolled. "And you're proud of that?" she asked, a laugh hiding in her voice.

"Huh?" Ashkit had stopped, staring at Mintkit.

Mintkit shifted. "Erm, I was just talking…to myself." she stuttered, pausing, before padding forward.

Ashkit's ears flattened. "Do you not want to hang out with me…?" he asked, his eyes flashing with hurt.

Mintkit shook her head. "I do, it's just...that was Rosekit. She's my friend," She sighed. She never told anyone else about Rosekit; it was only a moon since Mintkit discovered the creamy-brown she-kit.

Ashkit just stared for a heartbeat. "Uh…does Rosekit…exist?" he asked, taking a step back from Mintkit.

"Yes! She's right here!" She immediately pointed her tail to where Rosekit was standing, not faded, not with stars in her fur, just a normal, everyday kit.

Ashkit suddenly looked awkward. "I have to…go... Yeah..." In a flash, Ashkit bounded away, his tail bobbing up and down like a fish.

_Urgh. Stupid Ashkit. I knew I shouldn't have told him. _Mintkit unsheathed her claws.

"Hey, you always have me, Mintkit." Rosekit smiled warmly, reminding Mintkit about Sleetkit's teasing earlier.

"Yeah, I suppose. But... it's just….I started to…oh, never mind. Maybe we can ask Larkwing for another story," Mintkit started to pad forward, but she was immediately cut off by Rosekit.

"Don't. Larkwing's is an old, stupid she-cat. She completely messed up what happened between Snakepaw and Rosepaw!" Rosekit hissed, his eyes blazing with anger.

Mintkit stepped back, shrinking off from her friend. "Uh, what? _She _was the one who was blinded!" Her anger grew. How dare Rosekit! She hadn't known Larkwing at that time.

Rosekit shook her head, before staring back at Mintkit with the same confusion. "What? Oh, sorry, I was trying to be…Sleetkit. Yeah, he'd say that, right?" Rosekit's smile was crooked.

Mintkit cocked her head to one side. "But…yeah, that's something he'd say..." Though she wouldn't admit it to Rosekit, that seemed pretty believable. And to think, Mintkit thought that Rosekit was this heartless, annoying, insane cat!

"Larkwing's blindness isn't tragedy. I mean, she acts like it hasn't affected her!" Rosekit meowed, angling her ears to where Larkwing was laying in the sun with Crowclaw.

"At the time, it probably did," Mintkit sighed, her eyes looking to where Rabbitspring lay half out of the elders den, his head resting on his paws.

Rosekit's eyes narrowed as Larkwing's sightless eyes fixated on what seemed to be a thrush flying by. "Maybe if she learns that she could've died without mercy…" Rosekit grumbled, almost a whisper.

"What?" Mintkit blinked, stopping and edging away from Rosekit.

Rosekit blinked at Mintkit. "Again! Never said anything Mintkit. I was just mumbling." she meowed.

Mintkit laughed. Once again, it seemed Rosekit was going a little beyond pretending.

**Yep. Mintkit has totally wrong guesses. And, if you're wondering, that was always supposed to have happened to Larkwing, I just forgot about her. And, this is pre-Everyone Thinks Mintkit's A Freak. Ashkit was the first to learn, as you see.**

**R&R!**

**- Shard**


	3. Chapter 2: Larkwing

**Ah, I'm glad for longer chapters now. Our last one was a tad depressing, yes? Rabbitspring is the last of his kin, and Larkwing was blinded by the completely evil Rosefeather. I'm liking this version of the story better than my last. Now, this story will be easier to follow, because it's now 1 other POV, then Mintkit. Simpler.**

**Chapter 2**

She sat alone, quietly. The taste of squirrel that she had a few heartbeats before, lingered on her tongue as she rested her muzzle on her paws**.** She drowned out the noises of the other cat's murmurs as they lounged in the sunlight.

A black wave of sleep over came her, following by splatters of blood and the sound of running water.

"_Larkpaw! You idiot!"_

"_I-I didn't see anything!"_

"_Oh, yes you did."_

"_I-I-I…."_

"Larkwing!"

The tortoiseshell she-cat, Larkwing, opened her amber eyes, scenting Crowclaw's distinctive aroma.

"Yes…?" she asked groggily, her pelt prickling from the horror of her dream.

"Oh, nothing. You were kicking in your sleep, and some cats were staring…" Larkwing flattened her ears to her head, as Crowclaw's mew faded.

"I'll go into the elders den to sleep," the blind she-cat hissed, getting to her paws. She followed the scent of the cedar tree and Rabbitspring, who was probably still asleep inside. _Figures. _Larkwing lashed her dappled tail, padding inside, before settling on her mossy nest.

"Well well, look what a dog dragged in," Rabbitspring mocked. Larkwing could tell from his tone that he was probably grinning.

"Stuff your old tail in it, Rabbitspring." she spat, curling her tail over her nose.

Suddenly, moss crackled, and Rabbitspring's scent came closer as his pelt was touching hers.

"Why don't you make me?" he meowed; his tone wasn't hostile, it was more of a laugh. Larkwing growled, making a compacter circle.

The mottled elder just snorted. "You never were the fighter, were you, Larkwing?"

Larkwing smacked at his face with her paw, but all she hit was air. "Oh shut up," she hissed, laying back down.

"Great StarClan, a cat can't try to cheer you up?" he growled, shifting away.

Larkwing's ears flattened to her head. She supposed she was being a tinge aggressive to Rabbitspring.

"Well there's better ways to come at than annoying me," Larkwing shut her eyes tighter.

Rabbitspring didn't reply for a heartbeat. "I guess I'm sorry…?" he meowed, his tail-tip touching her shoulder.

Larkwing growled quietly. "Whatever." she meowed stubbornly.

He sighed, the moss churning as Larkwing guessed he rose to his paws. "I'm going hunting," he rasped.

Larkwing's ears pricked at this, and her head lifted, just as the way it always did when hunting was brought up.

Rabbitspring's pawsteps began to drum away, but Larkwing's mew stopped him.

"Elders aren't allowed to hunt…." She knew that this wasn't true; it was occasional for an elder to hunt for the clan. But it wasn't fair to Larkwing that even as an elder, Rabbitspring could still hunt. She was supposed to be a warrior now!

"Oh? I don't think so, Larkwing. Is that in the warrior code? No." Rabbitspring spat. Larkwing sighed, before laying back down. "I get it. You want to come too, right?" he meowed, his pawsteps coming toward Larkwing as he moved her with his paw.

Larkwing covered her eyes with herpaws "Yes..." she meowed.

Rabbitspring snicker. "I knew it," His laughing caused Larkwing to sigh even louder.

"Well? Coming or not?" he rasped, his tail-tip flicking across Larkwing's shoulder.

"Y-yes! Finally, out of RobinClan camp!" She purred in delight, trailing after Rabbitspring as she occasionally bumped into his flank to test if she was going the right way.

The sunlight from outside of the cedar tree warmed Larkwing's pelt, from root to tip. (from ears to tail-tip) But, this time it wasn't something to be shrugged off. She welcomed the tepid feeling. _Finally! I haven't been in the forest in ages! _Larkwing smiled.

"Well, come on," Rabbitspring mewed gruffly. The tortoiseshell smiled even wider as she felt gazes prickling on her dappled coat. _Good. Allow everyone to stare, because today…I think I'm almost free. _Larkwing grinned, trotting proudly out of camp like she could see, like everything was completely normal.

A mother finch chirped in it's nest, followed by high-pitched peeps from her babies. A rustling noise came from the bushes, and the scent of a squirrel filled the air.

"Stay quiet…" Rabbitspring hissed. Larkwing heard the grass crumble underneath the mottled elder's weight. _Can he catch it? He was a fine hunter in his days, but now that he's old… _Larkwing shook her head, her ears swerving to catch any noises that would signal what Rabbitspring was doing.

The noise of crumpling grass was traveling to where Larkwing had heard the squirrel appear, but Larkwing guessed Rabbitspring was just sneaking up on the squirrel.

Suddenly, a swift jab hit Larkwing's right foreleg, followed by the tumbling over of the blind elder. She wasn't prepared for it; the jab seemed to not even be hard or from Rabbitspring.

"Nice, idiot. I totally scared that squirrel right into your paws, and then you fall over!" Larkwing shook her dusty pelt, her eyes narrowed angrily.

"Blame a blind cat for not seeing what's coming at her? A whole new low for you, Rabbitspring." Larkwing hissed through gritted teeth.

Anger prickled from Rabbitspring's pelt in waves. "Whatever. I shouldn't have brought you anyway," he growled bitterly.

"Fine." Larkwing hissed.

"Fine!" Rabbitspring retorted, his tail smacking against Larkwing's shoulder as he turned around.

"And yet, you're still going to hunt?" she asked, her tail lashing. Now he was just taunting her.

"Yep. So, go back to camp. Unless you believe _you_ can hunt," he meowed, stifling a _mrrow _of laughter. Larkwing's face was distorted as she snarled at him. "Oh yeah? I can hunt just as well as you. My heightened senses are _far_ better than your regular ones," Larkwing growled, pressing her nose to Rabbitspring's and pushing him back a bit.

"Even if I'm an elder, I can beat a blind cat. Even Mintkit can fight you off!" Rabbitspring mocked, head butting into Larkwing's flank.

"I can catch a bird, and not cause it to be messy," she hissed threateningly, her back arching.

"Prove it."

"Okay than. I _will_." she snapped, tasting the air. Adjusting back to hunting would be hard, Larkwing was blind now, and she was two moons into her training when she was blinded by Rosefeather.

_You'll have to try, at least, _Larkwing flattened her ears to her head, _I won't let him have the satisfaction. _Larkwing's legs churned as she bounded into a thicker part of the forest. Tasting the air continually, and keeping he ear pricked, was a difficult feat, especially with Rabbitspring bounding behind her.

Larkwing stopped, causing Rabbitspring to smack into her rear. Larkwing stumbled forward, before shaking her pelt. "Watch out, idiot," she hissed over her shoulder, before turning and focusing on her surroundings.

Old cedar trees and birch trees creaked as a breeze fluttered into the forest, brushing Larkwing's pelt. The blind elder's thick tail brushed some ferns, leaving some tufts of her fur behind. _I can't even keep my fur. I'm supposed to be growing more, not loosing it. _"Well, mousebrain, I believe that's a thrush ahead," Rabbitspring piped up.

Larkwing hissed, "I could have found that out. I don't need your help," Bounding stubbornly forward, Larkwing lifted her muzzle, the warm scent of thrush brushing past her nose. _Okay, now I found my prey, now I just have to remember how to hunt… _Larkwing closed her eyes for peace; not that it would matter either way.

Faded memories came back to her, but she searched for the right one. Her mother, Bluewing—Larkwing's namesake—bright azure eyes blinking at her, her brother's warrior ceremony….no, none of them were right.

Then, as if on cue, that one memory of her hunting session came back…

_Larkpaw skipped into the forest, her paws light on the floor as autumn colored leaves brushed like snow against her pelt. Her mentor, Jayflight, bounded after his unruly apprentice, the dark gray tabby tom looking embarrassed as the other mentors watched with amusement._

"_Larkpaw." Jayflight half-growled once he caught up to the tortoiseshell. "_Don't wander. What if you strayed into CedarClan territory? Adderstar wold have your fur stripped from your pelt in a heartbeat,"_ Jayflight nudged Larkpaw to a Where the sunbeams slanted down beautifully; where the sunlight painted a mosaic on the forest floor; where the sunlight streamed down and pooled on the leaf beds. _

_Two other mentors, Hollywing and Graypelt, padded in with their apprentices, Cinderpaw and Thornpaw._

_Jayflight padded up to the other two mentors, chatting with them quietly, while their apprentices sat together on the other side of the sun-dappled clearing._

"_What do you think they'll teach us?" Thornpaw asked, a glimmer in his eyes. Larkpaw grinned. _He think's they'll teach him battle training, _Larkpaw nudged her brother with her shoulder._

"_Hunting," she meowed, remembering Jayflight telling her that once she was fully awake._

_Thornpaw rolled his eyes. "Urgh. I _hate _hunting." he growled, his tail lashing. Larkpaw rolled her eyes. Thornpaw was all about fighting, but Larkpaw knew this was because their father, Oakwhisker, had told Thornpaw that he'd probably never lose a battle because of his size and strength._

_Cinderpaw, an older apprentice, purred. "Fighting is not of the essence; you do hunt for your clan more than you fight, Thornpaw."_

_The golden tabby tom just narrowed his eyes. "Fighting is more important," he hissed stubbornly, before turning to look at the three mentors._

"_Okay, you three. Now is time for hunting training. You'll all learn the basic hunting crouches, as well as some valuable information of your prey." Graypelt, a thick-furred gray tom, padded forward, Hollywing and Jayflight followed behind him_

_Thornpaw just shifted, whereas Larkpaw smiled excitedly. Finally! Some actual training! The only thing Larkpaw had learned in her first few days as an apprentice was the territory, each Clan's strengths and weaknesses, and learn the different scents of different prey. Jayflight padded forward, while Graypelt turned and walked beside Hollywing. "Now. I'd like all three of you, especially Thornpaw and Larkpaw, to please pay attention and stay quiet. This is the basic hunting crouch, the one that works for relatively _all _prey,"_

_Jayflight's face grew serious, and the dark gray tabby fell to a crouch. His spine sloped down, his face to his shoulder blades like he were laying on the floor. His thick tail was down directly, the tip curled up a little._

_Larkpaw scanned this crouch, mentally copying it._

_Jayflight then stood up, stretching a tad, before turning to face the three apprentices. "Now that you've seen the hunting crouch, I'd like you each to demonstrate it to us." Jayflight announced._

"_Thornpaw," Graypelt called to his apprentice. "I'd like you to go up first." he meowed, eyeing Thornpaw as the apprentice padded to the center of the clearing._

_The golden tabby tom snorted, before attempting to copy Jayflight's movements. Like Larkpaw had expected, Thornpaw's posture was all wrong._

"_No, no, Thornpaw. Your crouch is all wrong…here, like this," Larkpaw blinked warmly, before drowning out the rest of the conversation by listening to the twitter of the larks._

Larkwing smiled. That memory was one of her bests; it was before…the accident. The tortoiseshell had become so engrossed with her memories that she'd completely forgotten about the bet she'd made to Rabbitspring.

Larkwing raised her muzzle, scenting the thrush. Holding up her tail for silence, she was hesitant to take the first step forward. What if a loose leaf was there? A crackle from a leaf dropping for autumn would roar like thunder. Larkwing quietly and slowly placed her forepaw down.

Her paw pad tickled from the pointed ends of grass stalks, but there were no leaves atop. Larkwing, being as silent and careful as possible, took each step with the same precautions. After a couple of steps, Larkwing, yet again, took the thrush's scent in again. It was coming from a few steps forward, up high, probably in a tree. Larkwing smugly grinned to herself. She'd catch this thrush easily.

Larkwing decided that taking slow steps took time, so the dappled she-cat bounded forward, feeling bark touch the tips of her toes. Twitching her whiskers, Larkwing gripped the bark of the oak tree. The bark was easily penetrated with her claws that had grown over time.

She was extremely careful. Even when Larkwing could see, she'd never been a skilled climber.

"Er, can you ...climb?" Larkwing gritted her teeth as she heard Rabbitspring's frightened, yet amazed, mew from the floor below. _Oh, so now you care, flea bag? _

"Y-yes. Got a problem with it?" she hissed over her shoulder, before climbing a bit higher.

Rabbitspring's snort easily carried over to Larkwing. "No. Just catch that bird. I'll catch something else," Larkwing sighed with relief as Rabbitspring's pawsteps faded into the forest. _Finally._

Larkwing attentively felt around for a branch. A lump in the bark descended down into a tree limb. Larkwing grinned, gripping the rough bark. Larkwing let out a tiny squeal as her hind legs released their grip from the base of the oak, dangling over the forest below.

_I'll do it. _Larkwing hauled herself up, half of her still dangling. _Even if it kills me, which it might. _The dappled elder gritted her teeth together, her claws scratching the branch.

Once Larkwing was atop the branch, she held tail up for easy balance. A bird chirp flitted through the whispering trees and creaking branches. _Now I'll just have to attempt to remain silent… _She gasped as a breeze shook the branch in which she was standing on, causing her to almost fall over.

"…Are you okay up there?" Rabbitspring called up. Larkwing scented a vole, blood mixing in with the preys warm scent. _Why couldn't I ask to catch a rabbit instead?_

"What do you think?" she spat impatiently, twitching her tail-tip.

Rabbitspring didn't answer, not that Larkwing cared.

She lowered herself a little; she was on an apprentice's level now. Larkwing gripped around the branch, crawling to the scent of warm, juicy prey. She narrowed her eyes as the thrush let out a warning call; it must have heard or seen Larkwing. Not that Larkwing would know.

She heard the flapping of wings, followed by a feather flying at her muzzle.

"Larkwing! Get down! That thrush has a nest!" Rabbitspring meowed in alarm, causing her to shake. _Great. Every cat in RobinClan knows how protective a mother bird is about her nest! _But she refused to give in and climb down.

The mother thrush had now begun to fly rapidly, her wings beating puffs of air in Larkwing's face.

The elder hissed, swiping a blow in the bird's direction. Her claws caught a tuft of feathers, followed by a single feather floating between her ears.

"I won't give up that easily!" she hissed. Larkwing flashed her sharp, white fangs at the bird.

Relying only on her ears and nose, Larkwing growled, before throwing another swipe at the angry mother bird. But, all she hit was air.

The flapping chirps of alarm and rage now were coming from above her head. Suddenly, a piercing pain shot through her body, as now the thrush's beak was pecking between her ears. _I won't give up._

Larkwing realized that, the only way she'd get a bird, was to steal an egg or baby from the mother bird. It was cruel; this animal would help bring more prey to RobinClan, and the whole forest, but Larkwing was determined to prove Rabbitspring wrong. _If I didn't already._

Larkwing hissed in anger, before extending her neck. Twigs, soft things—probably feathers—and smooth, yet sharp, things brushed against her muzzle. She knew that she'd hit the nest.

Carefully, and delicately, Larkwing crawled forward-receiving two more blows from the mother thrush-and felt around for the eggs or baby chicks. When the smooth, hard shell of an egg was all she felt, the blind cat understood that these were eggs.

Larkwing shook as she stood, the branch creaking, and lashed her tail to distract the mother thrush. She opened her jaws, quickly snatching an egg. The heavy, and smooth egg was hard to hold at first, and she nearly dropped it, but Larkwing held it tightly.

_Wait-how am I going to get down? _Larkwing received yet another, and painful, jab from the mother thrush. She supposed that the mother thrush had now learned that Larkwing had snatched an egg from her nest.

"Larkwing, just jump! It's not that high-and you're not too old. You'll be fine!" Rabbitspring called.

The elder's eyes went wide. Jump? But, what if her paw bones broke? Or she fell on her head?

The mother thrush had now had enough. The bird had now gripped Larkwing's head with her sharp talons, and begun to tear at her fur.

Larkwing had two choices: Jump, possibly make it, and risk breaking the egg that she'd worked so hard to get, or stay, and continue to be attacked by the mother thrush.

Larkwing squeezed her eyes shut. Jump.

She bunched her haunches, receiving another peck from the thrush, before leaping. The egg shifted in her mouth as the wind blew and smacked in her face. It seemed like moons before the ground shocked her, sending ripples into her body, starting from her paws.

Larkwing collapsed, the egg almost rolling out of her mouth.

"Larkwing!" Rabbitspring shrieked, bounding over to the fallen she-cat. His nose intruded into her fur, nudging her up onto her paws.

"You're okay….right?" he asked, sniffing her cautiously.

"I think… But I got the egg!" she sneered through the egg, blindly waving it in his face. "And you said I couldn't do it! You thought that just because I was blind, I couldn't get a bird!" she meowed, grinning slightly.

Waves of anger were coming from Rabbitspring. "Is that _all _you care about? Finding that stupid egg?" he hissed, cuffing Larkwing's ear.

"No. But I caught it!" she mewed, holding up her prize.

Rabbitspring let out a growl. "It's not even a stupid bird," he meowed.

Larkwing narrowed her eyes. "It counts! Eggs crack, and then come out into birds!" she meowed, setting down the egg onto the grass.

Rabbitspring let out an angered snort. "Why does this matter so much to you?"

"Because. I'm not allowing an old bag like you to just waltz right up and degrade me," she growled, flattening her ears to her head. The ragged flesh where the thrush had tore burned once Larkwing applied pressure to it.

Rabbitspring let out a faint hiss. "I suppose I can 'admire' your determination. Even if it almost got you torn up by a thrush," he meowed, flicking her muzzle with his tail-tip.

Larkwing just sighed, too exhausted and worn out for anything else at the moment. "Fine." She turned, but then remembered her egg and Rabbitspring's vole.

"Erm, what do you want to do with our prey?" she asked, padding over to the small egg.

Rabbitspring's ears brushed her legs, before they left. "I suppose we should go back to camp. Embersky will need to make sure that cut of yours doesn't get infected," Rabbitspring's tail brushed her spine, before she flanked the older tom

Larkwing sighed faintly. How would she explain to Embersky the reason for her cut? _Oh, I was dared by Rabbitspring to hunt a bird, so I climbed an oak tree, got attacked by a mother thrush, and stole one of her eggs. _Larkwing's thick tail brushed against bracken bush, leaving some more clumps of fur behind. "That was kind of brave," Rabbitspring piped up suddenly.

Larkwing's ears twitched. "Whatever," she sighed.

Rabbitspring let out a growl. "You're so stubborn. You don't even know a complement when you hear one," A cool spin of air ruffled Larkwing's fur as Rabbitspring padded ahead of her.

"Hey!" she snarled to the long-legged tom. "You're just going to leave me here?"

Rabbitspring's pawsteps didn't stop. "You can climb a tree, even though you're blind, you can find camp," he growled harshly.

Larkwing just spat in his direction. "Be that way, then," she growled.

"I will."

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

"So…how did this happen again?" Embersky asked, her nose sniffing her cut.

Larkwing sighed. "I got attacked by a thrush…"

Embersky just let out a sigh, before calling over to Birdstreak that she needed alder bark. The tortoiseshell just shifted uncomfortably as the moments progressed, before Embersky returned with the sharp tang of alder bark.

"Here," the medicine mewed calmly. "This will make your wound feel better." Suddenly, the pulp was applied to her torn flesh and fur, making the wound feel cool, although it did sting a bit.

"There. You can go, but come back tomorrow, so I can see if it's healing properly," Embersky nudged the blind elder out of her den, before meowing her farewell.

"So." Larkwing snarled as Rabbitspring's voice intruded into her thoughts. "You have pulp dripping onto your face, you're walking around like a lumbering badger, and you _still_ are proud?"

She held her muzzle high, flicking her tail. "It's none of your business," she hissed.

"Whatever," he snorted, padding off. Larkwing just muttered underneath her breath, her claws unsheathing, before sheathing again.

_Why _didn't he shut up? She tried to ignore him, but Rabbitspring just came from nowhere to snap some stupid remark. _He's an idiot. He thinks he's the center of attention. _But Larkwing wasn't convinced.

She remembered, long ago, that Rabbitspring had a rough father, who did try to toughen him up, but Larkwing quickly shook her head. That was no excuse for his snappy and angry behavior.

Larkwing padded into the elders den, her fur brushing the cedar tree bark.

"Oh, great. I can't get two seconds away from you," Larkwing groaned as Rabbitspring nearly spat at her.

"Shut it." she snarled, laying in her nest.

Rabbitspring let out a faint laugh. "It's almost like you _like _me," he meowed with amusement, flicking Larkwing's ear with his tail.

"Ew! Why would I like _you_?" she growled, burying her face into her tail to attempt to shut his remarks out.

"We're elders now, Larkwing. You can just admit it," he growled playfully.

"I won't admit it, because it's not true."

"Okay, sure," Rabbitspring meowed, his nest cracking.

_I don't like him. How could I? He's annoying, arrogant, snappy, rude, idiotic, repulsive, disgusting, old, and mean. _Larkwing shut her eyes, allowing sleep to carry her away.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

_The sun was low, turning the blades of grass golden. The sky was hues of bruised purple and burning pinks, tinged with dark blue._

_Larkwing sat on a small, smooth-grooved rock, the wind blowing through her fur. Like in all of her dreams, she could now fully see. Larkwing inhaled the sweet smell of the forest, her paws itching with a longing to run. _

_Larkwing turned, seeing Crowclaw laying on the floor, smiling warmly at his denmate. His green eyes sparkled with pure happiness. Suddenly, horror filled his eyes, and his face became twisted with fear. His jaws opened in a silent wail of fear._

_A flash of a cat tearing another's throat out._

_She could now see Rabbitspring, his back arched and his pink lip drawn back in a snarl. A shadow of a cat came, tall and almost covering Rabbitspring._

_A flash of a cat leaping at another, face washed with anger and blood thirst._

_Larkwing's eyes went wide with fear, as she realized that this nightmare was centered around one cat._

_Rosefeather._

_A flash of a body of a cat, mouth cut into a grin, its throat slashed._

_Then, Larkwing let out a wail as she saw her mother, Bluewing, cowered on the floor, her eyes twitching with fear, and the two forepaws of her killer trapping her._

_Rosefeather had blood dripping from her muzzle, but her head was bowed, a black shadow covering the other parts of her face._

_Larkwing was now in a dark, shaded forest, with no way of escaping. Blood dripped from her head, splashing on the floor. A silhouette flashed behind her, but when she turned to investigate, no one was there. One of her paws was now covered with blood, the rest of her body dripping with the scarlet from her head. _

_Then, Larkwing could see her._

_Rosefeather was deeply grinning at her, eyes glowing._

"_You didn't tell anyone, did you?" she asked sweetly. Larkwing wanted to say no, but she couldn't find her voice. Instead, Larkwing shook her head vigorously._

_Rosefeather's head cocked to the side, before her mouth grew into a large frown._

"_You told!" she roared, before leaping at Larkwing._

**I know, I know this chapter sucks, and is quite boring. But the flash backs are really, REALLY important. To make it up, the next chapter is a Mintkit one, and we all know we love her! **

**And thanks to the totally awesome, amazing, R who edits each of these chapters! Thanks, R! **

**R&R!**

**-Shard**


	4. Chapter 3

**Mintkit POV! Cause we all love her, right?**

**Chapter 3**

Mintkit sighed as Sleetkit glanced over in her direction, before whispering to Windkit urgently. The light gray she-cat looked at her paws, before trudging to her nest. Three days had passed since she'd told Ashkit about Rosekit, and he hadn't kept his mouth shut, and word got out to Windkit and Sleetkit.

She closed her eyes, before falling into her nest, breathing in the scent for comfort. Splashflower's nose touched her ear, but soon, it brushed away, and she departed."Duskshine, please watch Windkit and Mintkit for me. I'm…I'm going to speak to Tawnyfire," Mintkit opened an eye to see Splashflower standing up, looking toward the entrance of the nursery.

Duskshine nodded. "Yes, Splashflower," she meowed, giving the other queen a thoughtful blink.

Mintkit covered her muzzle with her paw, shutting her eyes tightly. Splashflower's tail-tip brushed her softly and tenderly, before leaving her. Her loneliness coursed through her veins as the nest she knew so well became empty and cold.

"Mintkit," She hissed as Ashkit leaned over her nest. "Are you okay?" he asked, his left forepaw in her nest now.

Mintkit flopped on her other flank, staring blankly at the wall. "What do you think?" Hurt stung her throat, making her voice shift.

Ashkit breathed loudly, and Mintkit knew he was going to speak, when Sleetkit intervened.

"Ashkit! What are you doing with a loser like Mintkit?" The small kitten flattened her ears to her head, curling in a ball.

She felt Ashkit's fur press onto hers, just for a small heartbeat, before it left. "Nothing. I was just saying 'hi,' nothing to be afraid of, Sleetkit," he growled, his paw-steps fading as he padded away from Mintkit.

Again, she was left alone, while her own sister and her friends laughed at her despair. And for what? Having an imaginary friend? Mintkit sighed, before getting, up moss clinging to her pelt.

Shaking off the clumps, Mintkit bounced out of her nest, giving a glance at Duskshine. "I'm going out into camp," she meowed, flicking her tail. The black-and-white queen nodded, before turning back to watch her children and Windkit play.

The sunlight splashed onto her thick coat once she padded outside. None of the other cats seemed to mind her at all; they just carried on with their regular duties. The kit didn't know where to go, but the elders den was an option.

_No. I go there too often, and the others could pad in any moment. _Mintkit's eyes drifted towards the fresh kill pile, and for the first time that day, her belly growled.

Two warriors, Brackenfire and Goldenfur, were already lying by the prey pile, sharing a rabbit. Mintkit padded over, waving around the two cats. Sniffing the food cautiously, she became satisfied at the choice of a mouse, and tugged it away.

Mintkit half-dragged, half-carried the mouse over to a spot where she could eat in peace. The silver-furred mice cannot be silver in the wild, try brown rodent with a white belly lay crumbled on the grass, dried blood dimly shining. She placed a paw on the head of it to keep it from flipping in the dust, before biting its flank. The warm, succulent blood flowed into her mouth, salty, but a tad tasty. Mintkit ripped its flesh from the bone, before chewing on it contently.

Her eyes narrowed as Sleetkit and Windkit appeared from the nursery, bounding to the fresh kill pile. Ashkit trudged after them, glancing in Mintkit's direction for a heartbeat, before looking away.

Mintkit's paws shifted before she returned to her mouse. As soon as her meal was done, she quickly dug a hole in the earth, before tossing the remains inside. Patching the hole back up, Mintkit stretched in the sunlight.

"Hey, Mintkit," She opened one eye to see Rosekit trotting toward her, the creamy-brown she-cat's eyes bright.

"Rosekit!" she purred with satisfaction, rubbing noses with her.

Rosekit's creamy-brown fur shone brightly, the sunbeams lighting it up beautifully.

Mintkit smiled, "Why are you groomed? There're no ceremonies today," Mintkit's head tilted to the side.

Rosekit grinned, her white fangs gleaming in the sunlight. "There's a gathering at moonhigh," she meowed.

Ears drawn back, Mintkit stared wide-eyed at Rosekit. "Yeah, but we can't go!" she mewed.

Rosekit narrowed her eyes. "We can if no one sees us," she meowed, tail high.

The light gray she-cat just gulped in fear. Sure, she always wanted to attend a gathering, but not this way. If Silverstar or Tawnyfire caught them, they'd be in huge trouble.

"Tonight, I'll be four moons old, and then I'll be an apprentice in two moons. We can wait," Mintkit stared at her paws, before looking up at the disappointed Rosekit.

"Wait? Mintkit, this is the chance to have fun! Come on, you can't just sit there and be all droopy," Rosekit batted one of Mintkit's ears, before laughing lightly.

Mintkit paused, shifting uncomfortably. "Well…if we get caught—"

"We won't." Rosekit seemed to get aggravated now, her eyes narrowed, and her tail-tip twitching. A silence stretched between them, feeling like moons.

She flattened her ears to her head, before nodding. "I trust you," She sighed, opening her eyes again.

Rosekit beamed at her, before padding away. "I'll be in the nursery," she called over her shoulder, bounding into the stone den.

Mintkit just sighed, before turning around, padding toward the medicine cat den. Maybe Embersky or Birdstreak would need help collecting some herbs. The small cave that used to house a wolf, according to legend, seemed to be vacant. _Maybe they're out. But that doesn't mean that I shouldn't go and see… _Mintkit peered into the medicine cat den. No Embersky or Birdstreak.

"Moving her into the elders den? That's cruel," Mintkit's ears pricked as she heard Tawnyfire's voice hissing loudly. She dashed behind a small fern, keeping herself hidden from her father.

"Tawnyfire, did you listen? The other kits are picking on her! I overheard Ashkit telling Windkit and Sleetkit that she has an imaginary friend named Rosekit," Mintkit looked inside, seeing Splashflower shrinking back from her mate.

_Are they talking about…me? _Her eyes welled from remorse, but she listened on.

"But I won't allow my daughter to live with the elders until she becomes an apprentice. Splashflower, that'll cause more bullying. And how do we tell Mintkit? Hm?" Tawnyfire growled, his eyes narrowing.

Splashflower looked guilty for a heartbeat, but she faced Tawnyfire. "We don't have to extend our point. Ask Silverstar to tell her, at least," she meowed, her eyes pleading.

But Tawnyfire just turned, hiding his face. "I don't understand how you could do this. Windkit gets to stay in the nursery with you, but Mintkit is forced to sleep inside of the elders den by herself,"

"She will not be by herself. She'll be with my father, Rabbitspring and Larkwing." Splashflower got up, eyeing the entrance of the medicine cat den. "I care about our daughter. That's why I'm doing this. Tawnyfire, if you took some time out of your schedule, and actually see your children, you will see that she isn't happy," Splashflower growled, starting to walk away.

"I can't. You think it's easy? If you hadn't gotten pregnant with Eagleheart's kits, then you would have been a warrior for more than a moon," Tawnyfire snarled, his back arching.

_Pregnant? With another tom's kits? _Mintkit's eyes grew wide. She hadn't known that.

Splashflower's eyes flashed with pain, until fury replaced it. "I told you. Never speak of that. Eagleheart died, along with two of those three kits. I got over it, and then we became mates, Tawnyfire. Don't act like you can pin it on me now," she growled, turning around.

_Two of the three? _Mintkit moved closer, now fully seeing her parents.

"Oh? So you pretend like Swanpaw doesn't exist? You mated with a CedarClan tom. And you're lucky the other cats of this clan got over it because we became mates." Tawnyfire barked at her, before shouldering her out of his way.

Mintkit pressed into the clump of bracken, hiding herself completely as Tawnyfire was half out of the medicine cat den.

Before leaving, he looked over his shoulder. "This isn't what's best. Mintkit is my daughter, Splashflower, and I won't allow you to ruin her life. Sometimes I wonder if all you care about is yourself," He growled, before padding away like nothing happened.

Mintkit blinked slowly, registering what just happened. Splashflower was going to send her to the elders den? All because of the bullying? It was nothing!

She looked up, seeing Splashflower push the brambles away. Her mother's gaze was calm, despite everything that was happing. Mintkit fell back into the bracken, but stopped halfway, snagging her claw in the dirt. Splashflower's ear pricked, glancing at the ferns where Mintkit was hiding.

Splashflower's eyes narrowed, taking a step to the bracken bush, when she suddenly stopped. You used bracken too much, try thorn or something.

"Splashflower," Her mother looked up. Mintkit turned, seeing Silverstar poking her head out of her den. "Come in my den, please." Splashflower gave a last glance at the ferns, before bounding to Silverstar's den. That was so close; Mintkit shook the dirt and pieces of loose grass from her fur, before bolting from her hiding spot.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Mintkit, this is for the best. Your parents are just so concerned about you. The elders won't mind; I've already told them." Silverstar meowed as she lead Mintkit away from the nursery and to the elders den. Mintkit looked over her leader's tail, seeing Ashkit, Sleetkit and Windkit staring suspiciously at her. Mintkit looked away, and back to the old cedar tree.

"But…" She begun to say, but closed her mouth. _This isn't fair! Silverstar is allowing Splashflower and Tawnyfire to move me to the elders den! How is it supposed to help me?_

"….and the less contact you make with the other kits, at this age, the less the bullying will go on." Silverstar's green eyes flickered with sorrow as she glanced down at Mintkit, but she quickly looked up once more.

Mintkit's head hung. "Yes, Silverstar," she grumbled, her winter-blue eyes grief-stricken. Her paw hit a rock as she slumped along, but she just bounced on three paws, not even registering to ask Silverstar if she could see Embersky or Birdstreak.

"Here we are," she meowed, nudging Mintkit towards the elders den. "Just go in; the elders won't mind you."

Mintkit let out a long sigh, before padding inside of her new den. Rabbitspring, of course, was asleep, Larkwing beside him, was also slumbering. Crowclaw was the only elder awake.

"Hello, Mintkit," he meowed, giving her a warm smile.

"Hello Crowclaw..." she almost growled, trudging further into the den.

Crowclaw sighed. "Your nest is right here," Crowclaw pointed a tail to the fresh moss right next to him. "Darkpaw and Snowpaw made sure it was nice and warm, so I'd thank them in the morning." He smiled once again, before shifting, and putting his head on his paws.

"Yes, Crowclaw," Mintkit padded over to her new nest, before collapsing into it.

"It's for the best." Her ears pricked once she heard Silverstar sigh, before the leaders paw-steps faded away.

_It isn't for the best. _Her eyelids suddenly began to close, sluggishly, as the shapes of the clan life begin to blur, then darken. _If it was, I'd be happy._

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Mintkit," a voice hissed into her ear. Mintkit slowly opened her eyes, rubbing a small paw on it.

She flinched as she saw Rosekit's amber eyes blinking at her, glowing in the night.

"Oh, Rosekit, it's just you," she sighed, inhaling deeply after her shock. "Wh…Why did you wake me up?" She yawned, her jaws stretched wide, until she looked at Rosekit curiously.

Rosekit pawed at her ear. "Because, stupid, we're sneaking into the gathering, 'member?" She hissed lightly, glancing around to see if she'd woken any of the elders.

Mintkit stared at her paws for a heartbeat, before looking up at Rosekit. "You're…serious?"

The creamy-brown kit rolled her eyes. "Yes," She sighed, her tail lashing.

Mintkit flattened her ears to her head. "Rosekit…I don't think we should…"

"Oh, come on!" She growled, before clamping her tail over her mouth. Crowclaw snorted in his sleep, before yawning.

The elderly tom opened his eyes for a heartbeat, before falling back to sleep. That was a close one.

Mintkit glanced back at Rosekit, seeing her friend's eyes pleading her. She sighed deeply, before nodding, knowing that she couldn't win. "Fine, I'll do it, Rosekit, but if we get caught…" She growled; her eyes narrowed as she struggled to stand. Groggily, she blinked, her eyelids weighing down on her. Sleep pulled at her eyelids as she blinked groggily, longing to flop back onto her nest.

"We won't. Silverstar is just now leaving, and I believe Brackenfire and Rowanberry are watching camp," Rosekit whispered, silently bounding from the elders den. Mintkit followed her silently, slumping along the shadowed dens.

Cats that were going to the gathering filed out of camp, disappearing into the vine-swirled tunnel that lead out into the thickly wooded forest. Rosekit snaked along the lush bracken, dark, dappled shadows camouflaging her pelt to the cats in the camp clearing.

Mintkit kept herself from hissing as she spotted Splashflower grooming Windkit. _Of course, _She narrowed her eyes, before stopping beside Rosekit, _she's now pretending that I don't exist, just like her other daughter, Swanpaw or whatever._

"Mintkit," Rosekit hissed in her ear. "We're sneaking out through the hole behind the warriors den," Rosekit flicked her tail to the large bramble bush where the warriors lay.

She nodded mutely, before padding beside Rosekit, placing one paw before the other quietly.

If any cat where to look outside their dens, they'd see two, silent, shadows.

The brambles stabbed at Mintkit's side, but she just gritted her teeth. She wouldn't let out a yelp that would tell any other cat what they were doing.

Rosekit placed a claw to her lips, before holding out a dark paw. She moved the brambles aside, and Mintkit could see the trees, the bushes, and the untouched wildlife. _Wow. I'm only supposed to go out of camp when I'm an apprentice, but this is a whole new level. _Mintkit grinned, before leaping out of camp, and stumbling out into the forest.

The silvery moonlight glittered, touching the rough tree bark. The long stalks of grass blew against her fur, brushing against it. The crystal moonlight cut through the canopy, touching the rough tree bark, so that the shadows beneath unfurled like claws. The long, silver-edged grass blew against her fur, brushing past gently.

Rosekit leaped after her, slamming into her tail. "If you want to make it to the gathering, I'd suggest we get moving," She spat, bounding forward. Mintkit followed, unsure how Rosekit could remain so calm. Mintkit was bursting with excitement!

She crept along the bushes, her paws lightly touching the ground, before lifting away just as fast.

"…and I'm getting concerned of Nightflower. She's usually there when our border patrols come, her and Graywing. Redpelt follows, but hardly." Her ear pricked as she heard Falconclaw, Ashkit and Sleetkit's father, talking with Silverstar.

"If Nightflower wants a fight, she'll get one. I'll ask Rainstar about this, but I doubt he'd have much knowledge. He usually is calmer about these situations," Silverstar meowed.

Mintkit narrowed her eyes. Splashflower had mentioned Nightflower in one of her nursery stories. CedarClan's deputy was very sneaky and ambitious, and she hardly cared for another cat besides herself.

Graywing seemed to be the same thing as Nightflower; calculating, sneaky, ambitious, manipulative. But Mintkit didn't know anything about this 'Redpelt'.

"Be quiet," Rosekit snapped quietly. "You're practically crashing through the ferns." Her amber eyes flickered with annoyance, before she turned, picking her way through the bracken.

Mintkit sighed quietly, before silently padding after Rosekit.

Silverstar's lithe silver frame came into view at the head of the group. Tawnyfire wasn't a long way behind her, with Embersky standing at his side. Nightflower and Graywing seem to be bad… Mintkit narrowed her eyes, before stepping over a twig. I wonder if they'll start anything at the Gathering.

The moon was at its highest point, turning the cat's pelts to silver. Mintkit blinked, almost stepping on Rosekit's tail-tip. They were at the brow of the hill now, looking over at a clump of oak trees with three rivers slicing through the grass. One for each clan, she remembered, inhaling the fresh air. BriarClan, CedarClan, and RobinClan.

"Let's hurry. BriarClan is already there, and I believe CedarClan is well on their way." Mintkit looked up, seeing Silverstar looking back on the gathering cats. She flicked her tail, and the other cats followed her down the hill and to the grassland below.

Worry prickled through Mintkit's fur as she looked at the long stretch of grass. _There are no trees or ferns! How are we supposed to hide? _Mintkit flashed a glance to Rosekit, who was staring at Silverstar.

"Rosekit," she growled, "How are we supposed to hide now?" Her patience was thinning by the time Rosekit turned, blinking at her.

"We'll just stay behind the group," she snorted.

Mintkit rolled her eyes, before ushering Rosekit forward as they crept behind the black silhouettes of their clanmates. _I'm glad we're kits. If we were apprentices, they'd see us._

Her eyes widened at the sight of the huge oaks standing tall, crumbled amber-brown leaves glowing in the moonlight. The great oak loomed overhead, its crumpled amber-brown leaves edged with quicksilver. _It looks amazing, _Mintkit's fur fluffed up from the cool air. _I just hope it shelters us from the air._

Her nose wrinkled at the thick, mud stench. _BriarClan. _Mintkit covered her nose with her thick-furred tail. _It smells like they just wallow in mud all day._

The RobinClan cats shapes disappeared into the oak trees, their scent blending in with the BriarClan cats.

Rosekit bounded forward, standing behind a tree. "Let's hide here," she whispered. "You can still see where the leaders gather."

Mintkit blinked thankfully at Rosekit, before padding beside her.

Silverstar padded across the clearing, before jumping onto a stone. Her white paws were tucked neatly underneath her tail, and her green eyes glowed with content. A tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat sat on another boulder, dipping her head to Silverstar.

"That must be Brightstar," Mintkit whispered to Rosekit. "I remember Splashflower telling me that she was a tortoiseshell, but I always imagined her eyes to be green, not amber." she meowed, looking at the pretty dappled she-cat's fiery eyes.

Silverstar smiled warmly to the BriarClan leader, before dipping her head as well. They look about the same age, she realized, looking closely at their facial features. _So I suppose that means they knew each other when they were apprentices._

A bush rustled not far from where they were hiding. Mintkit cringed in fear. What if someone found them? Two kits out of their camp? Mintkit gulped, looking at Rosekit for an answer.

A dark blue-gray tom shouldered his way out of the bracken, his icy blue eyes fixed on the other two leaders. Rainstar. Mintkit blinked as the CedarClan leader walked right by. I always thought of him being mean, but he just seems…calm. She narrowed her eyes as a mottled dark gray tabby she-cat sneered at the other two clans, her yellow eyes glittering with malice.

Rainstar padded calmly and collectively by the other two clans, his tail high. Mintkit's eyes widened as huge cats passed by her, all big enough to kill her with one blow.

"If all clans are here, then let the gathering begin!" Her ears pricked as she heard Brightstar call for the gathering to start, her voice carrying over the chatter of the other clans.

Rainstar just grunted as Silverstar looked to him; probably telling him to start.

"CedarClan is well. Greenleaf is ending, and with that the chill of Leaffall begins. We have two new warriors, and a new apprentice! Swanfeather and Cloudheart have successfully chased a fox from our territory. Whitepaw is now an apprentice, and is learning quickly." he announced.

_Swanfeather! She must be my half-sister…the one Tawnyfire says Splashflower is beginning to forget… _Mintkit looked at the silver-and-white tabby she-cat, who sat next to a white tom with amber eyes.

"Swanfeather! Cloudheart! Whitepaw!" The other clans cheered. Mintkit noticed a few RobinClan cats looking smug, probably because of Nightflower.

"Other than that, we have nothing else to report." Rainstar meowed, indicating for Brightstar to take her turn.

"BriarClan has grave news to report. One of our elders, Brooksong, has died of an unknown disease. Smallfeather couldn't understand why this happened, but Brooksong had the symptoms of greencough, except for her fur beginning to fall off." She meowed with a grief-stricken voice.

Murmurs and meows came from the cats below, whispering about this sorrowful news.

"Other than this, nothing," Brightstar finished, sighing.

Silverstar straightened up, casting a glance to Rainstar. "RobinClan is doing fine. But, we are concerned of one clans interfering with our borders and snapping at border patrols. Rainstar? Care to explain why almost every border patrol we get reports Nightflower and Graywing there, and harassing them?" Silverstar hissed.

Rainstar blinked in shock. "I have no idea—"

"CedarClan's business isn't for you to snoop around in, Silverstar. Keep your oversized pink nose out of it," Mintkit looked at the far end of the clearing, to see the mottled dark gray tabby she-cat baring fangs at Silverstar.

Silverstar appeared to be calm, but Mintkit could tell that anger try wrath, rage, or ire was seething from her eyes. "Leaders speak at gatherings, Nightflower. Not deputies who can't keep their mouths shut," she retorted.

Nightflower sprang up, her tail lashing and fur on end. "Why don't you come down here and say that?" she snapped, amber eyes flaring with challenge.

Silverstar didn't look shaken. "Sit down. The full moons aren't time for fighting, they're times of peace," she meowed calmly.

"Make me."

Rainstar stepped in, eyes narrowed. "Nightflower. Sit. Down. Silverstar, I am truly sorry about my deputy's behavior, really." He meowed.

Brightstar just growled. "There is nothing else to report. This gathering is over." she hissed, leaping from the boulder she was sitting on.

Nightflower looked angry, hissing as Tawnyfire stalked by. Great StarClan she has a temper. _If I were Rainstar…I'd resign her immediately_.

Rosekit let out a laugh. "That was awesome." She chuckled, placing a paw on her nose.

Mintkit blinked. "What? That wasn't awesome! Nightflower just undermined Silverstar in front of the other clans!" She growled.

Rosekit just rolled her eyes. "Yeah, okay," She mewed, scratching behind her ear. Mintkit shut her mouth as RobinClan and BriarClan walked by, separating into their own territories.

CedarClan's warriors seemed outraged, talking about Silverstar's stupid accusation. But Mintkit didn't pay any attention to them; she was looking for one cat. Swanfeather.

The silver-and-white tabby was at the end of the crowd, walking by herself. She kicked a stone, sending it clanking against a tree root. _She looks miserable. _Mintkit blinked in sorrow.

Mintkit caught her breath as Swanfeather walked past her and Rosekit, unaware of their presence.

The warrior paused, looking at where Mintkit was hiding. Her green eyes blinked slowly, before they narrowed.

"I know you're hiding," She growled lowly. Mintkit blinked. Her voice sounded just like Splashflower's.

Before Mintkit had a chance to get up and reveal herself, Swanfeather just bounded away, catching up with her clan.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mintkit half walked, half dragged herself to the elders den, dawn already approaching into the sky. She and Rosekit swiftly padded back into camp. She didn't talk at all. The confrontation with Swanfeather was quite awkward.

_Why didn't she tell her clan? Why did she just leave? _She wondered as she slumped, exhausted into her nest.

Mintkit closed her eyes, smiling at the thought of sleep.

"Rise and shine, Mintkit!" Crowclaw meowed enthusiastically, nudging her up.

Mintkit cursed under her breath, smiling faintly. "Oh, great, morning," She yawned, struggling to her paws.

She padded out of the elders den, seeing Splashflower grooming Windkit, while talking to her. _How long will it be before she forgets about me, too?_

**Warg! Sorry about this update! The ending was rushed, I know, and it's been a few days!**

**R&R!**


	5. Chapter 4: Swanfeather

**I believe that anyone who has waited for this story for over half a year has permission to virtually punch me for being the crappiest updater that anyone has ever seen. **

**I'm sorry, everyone! I really am, but I had some issues, and than I forgot...I know, excuses, excuses. Well, here's the continuation of the story that I really hope I can finish!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

Swanfeather was never one to enjoy lounging around, or being lazy, for that matter. Always, she had to be on her feet, active, doing something for her clan: hunting, border patrols, hey, she even took out other warriors apprentices for them whenever they needed a paw.

The silver-and-white tabby inhaled deeply, a soft smile gracing across her feminine features. Her tail tip twitched in contempt as her dark blue eyes observed the trees around her, briar bushes clawing up their trunks in a squirrel-like manner.

"Swanfeather!" She jolted, turning around and frowning slightly as Graywing stalked toward her, looking none to pleased. "Now's not the time to be ominously staring out into the forest!" she hissed, orange eyes narrowed in suppressed rage. "If you haven't noticed," the gray she-cat pointed her tail to the two other cats standing a few pawsteps away from them, "we're on a border patrol! Border patrol! That means we walk around the BriarClan and RobinClan border!" she overly-emphasized, making a point of repeating border patrol.

The other she-cat sighed, nodding despite the want to claw Graywing's ears off. The older gray she-cat _was _a senior warrior, after all. "Yes, Graywing," she replied in a monotone, walking behind Graywing as both she-cats walked over to the other two cats waiting nearby.

Thistlestorm, a kinder tom despite his name, blinked empathetically her way, shooting Graywing a side glare mutely. Thistlestorm's apprentice, Badgerpaw, just snickered at Swanfeather, following in line after his mentor and Graywing.

Swanfeather rolled her eyes, ignoring the ignorant, younger cat. _Whatever, _she thought, letting out a rueful sigh, _if it hadn't been a few moments ago, Graywing would've found another way to yell at me for no reason. She just hates me for some reason. _The young warrior flicked her ear, ignoring the groggy feeling that bit on her eyelids, begging her to close them and curl up in some moss. Last night's vigil had been longer than she anticipated, and Cloudheart hadn't made it any better by making a game out of poking her and than pretending he didn't do it. Without either of them talking, of course.

In the front of the group, Graywing was making yet another enormous show out of the fact that it was her that was leading the patrol, and no one else. Her solid, stone-gray tail was held high, her ears angled upwards and pricked completely. For any other cat, this would've been the marking of a model warrior leading any other patrol. But for a cat in CedarClan, you'd easily be told that this was _Graywing_ they were talking about. Also known as the clan's residential drama-starter.

"Hurry it up back there," The said she-cat snapped over her shoulder, her tail swishing. "I don't want the other clans seeing you three dragging yourselves around and making me look like an idiot," she informed them.

Swanfeather exhaled sharply, rolling her eyes. _Wouldn't want that, now would we? _

Badgerpaw bounced at Thistlestorm's heels enthusiastically, his tail swishing back and forth, similar to a dog. "Is BriarClan as slow as Bluewhisker says?" he asked his mentor, a smirk spreading on his face and a taunting look in his amber eyes.

Thistlestorm sighed, shaking his head. Badgerpaw looked quizzically at his mentor, scrunching his muzzle at him. Swanfeather observed the scene with a shrug. _Well, according to Brackenheart, Thistlestorm is the 'strong and silent' type. _She watched with a new interest as the blue-gray tom walked forward after Graywing, ignoring his apprentices paws as they hit the back of his legs. _Must be frustrating sometimes to have a mentor that doesn't talk much. _

"Swanfeather! Thistlestorm!" Badgerpaw called out suddenly, his eyes widened as he looked over to the other stretch of forest over the border. "I think I see someone!" he informed them.

Swanfeather blinked. "Yes, because you've never seen another cat at a gathering before," she remarked dully, earning herself a glare from Badgerpaw, which she gladly shrugged off.

"I think that other patrol thinks they're better than us!" Graywing hissed, her claws sliding out as she watched the BriarClan patrol slip from their clumps of ferns, biding them a soft nod as they passed on their side of the border.

The silver-and-white tabby growled, "They're just walking on their side of the border!" She sighed once Graywing shot her a withering glare.

"So? They could be planning something!" the gray she-cat snapped.

Badgerpaw nodded vigorously. "Yeah! They could be trying to….uh…oh yeah! Kill us with kindness!" he quipped.

Swanfeather looked at the young apprentice. "Don't encourage her!" she growled, causing Graywing to once again glare at her.

"Shut up, half Clan cat," Graywing sneered, smirking as Swanfeather frowned at her. The silver-and-white tabby bit her tongue, swallowing the bitter remark that she was going to make at the other she-cat. An intense stare down was happening, amber against dark blue, with Thistlestorm and Badgerpaw standing off to the side.

Badgerpaw blinked, looking up at his mentor. "Are she-cat's always this crazy?" he asked incredulously, watching as Thistlestorm sighed, nodding. Badgerpaw's eyes widened as he looked back to the two almost-fighting cats. "I don't think I want a mate for a while, unless I want to loose my ears."

…

Swanfeather sighed, pawing at her half-eaten mouse with a tired effort. She scanned the clan life around her nonchalantly, her paws kneading the ground.

"I take it the border patrol didn't go well?"

Her ears pricked as she looked over her shoulder, purring slightly as she saw her former mentor, Crowflight, behind her. Her purr dropped to a sigh, though, as she thought about that border patrol that she had just gotten back from.

"I think 'didn't go well' is a mere understatement," she told him glumly, looking back down at her chewed mouse.

Crowflight's expression took on a sort of pitiful look as it swept over the saddened she-cat, before the senior warrior sighed. He took it upon himself to walk around her, sweeping the ground with his tail as he sat down.

"I know it's a bit hard for you," he began slowly, gently, slightly frowning as Swanfeather looked at him with a glare, "Half Clan cat's are usually always tormented by _someone _in a clan," The older toms' gaze slowly drifted to Graywing, who was now talking with Nightflower outside of the warriors den. "but, Swanfeather, I really think you can handle Graywing. She may be conceded, but she isn't that much of a fighter; trust me." He told her lightly, smiling.

Swanfeather sighed for the umpteenth time that day, taking on a gentle smile. "I know I shouldn't let her get to me," she told him quietly, glancing down at her meal before looking back up in his green eyes, "It's just…half Clan? It's an insult that just _really _gets to me," she mewed, licking a white paw and drawing it over an ear.

Crowflight nodded, before getting up on his paws, his tail flicking. "I've got to go; hunting patrol," he informed her, biding his former apprentice a small nod.

Swanfeather smiled, nodding, and watching as the dark gray tom padded away, nodding to Rainstar - who had decided that he wanted to lead a hunting patrol - and out of the camp entrance.

The smaller she-cat inhaled through her nostrils, finishing the last of her mouse before getting up and stretching, enjoying the feeling of her joints releasing air. Her tongue rasped against her whiskers as she padded away from the fresh kill pile, ignoring the random and lingering stare of Graywing. _If she has something to say to me, _She glanced over to the gray she-cat, narrowing her eyes. _then she better say it. Because, honestly, I've dealt with a lot of her stupidity._

She looked back to the warriors den, before padding inside, her tail-tip disappearing into the large, former fox den.

…

Swanfeather blinked groggily, her tail flicking as she opened her dark eyes in the darkness of the fox den. The Silverpelt shed it's light, the white splash of starlight seeping into the den and to her paws. She yawned, her tongue sweeping across her nose and her whiskers twitching.

She got up after a few moments of just laying there; waking up after a long and peaceful sleep. The patched tabby walked silently and carefully around the other cats in the den, being sure not to step on their tails or whiskers. It was her first day in the warriors den, after all, and she didn't want the warriors thinking that she'd be a denmate that'd constantly step on them.

She hopped over Thistlestorm's big, fluffy frame, skidding into the short, patchy grass of the CedarClan camp. The she-cat gave the den behind her a light stare, before turning around and padding to the camp's entrance, giving Feathershadow and Talonstrike a nod as she passed by them, earning herself a grunt in return.

The silver-and-white tabby picked her way through the large bracken plant, ignoring the feeling of a sharpened twig stabbing at her hardening paw pads. Her tail-tip flicked almost contentedly as she snaked her way through the large plant, but she turned, continuing on into the makeshift forest trail that lead into the center of CedarClan territory.

She drew out a long, contented breath as she walked down the trail, something that was rumored to be made by twolegs long ago with their dull yellow monsters and tree-clearers. The young she-cat smiled softly as a midnight breeze took over, the leaves shaking around her and her fur blowing back.

Swanfeather sighed, continuing her slow walk with an even slower step. She was bored, in a simple word. Being a warrior wasn't as strenuous as being an apprentice - but, to be fair, Graywing had practically mocked her by saying it'd only get harder - but it was just…boring. And completely repetitive, to be honest. All a warrior did was patrol, hunt, fight, if needed, get an apprentice, and then died. Or, if they lived long enough, last into the warriors den.

She growled in her annoyance, her claws scraping against the hardened dirt as she narrowed her eyes. With her disgruntled growl, she shook her head.

A shaking noise festered beside her, taking her by surprise. A bracken bush rattled beside her, completely ominous. Swanfeather blinked, sucking in a breath as she stared at the bush, as if waiting for a badger to pop out and run her down, snapping her fragile bones in it's crushing jaws. The new warrior let out a steady growl, her claws unsheathing as she prepared to fight if it was an enemy cat.

Her lip began to curl back in a snarl, her eyes narrowed to snake-like slits as a small patch of fur was seen through the gap between two leaves. _Wait until Graywing and Nightflower see this, _She smirked slightly at the thought of her attacking an enemy and winning, getting their respect. _I'll be a hero for CedarClan! And than I can prove to them all that just because my mother was a RobinClan cat, doesn't mean that I can't be a true Clan warrior! _

The rustling began to draw nearer to where she was standing, much to her pleasure as she let out a hiss, warning the intruder of her current nature. She wasn't about to win this on a surprise attack from either cat. A fair battle was the way to go.

Swanfeather growled, dropping into a crouch and lashing her tail back and forth. But the rustling didn't stop at her. It actually continued away from her, toward the center of the forest, away from CedarClan camp. Swanfeather contemplated going after it, stopping the cat and telling it to get away from her territory, but the rustling just went on in a line of bushes. She blinked, narrowing her eyes.

Suddenly, another, familiar scent caught her nose. She turned, smiling as Thistlestorm stood behind her, looking down the pathway as if he saw it too.

"Oh, hello, Thistlestorm," she meowed politely, dipping her head in respect to the huge, long-furred blue-gray tom. He blinked back green eyes at her, nodding. She sighed. _Well, that's the closest to a hello that I'll get from him. _She thought, but smiled as she looked back up at him.

"You know, I've been seeing a whole lot more of you now than I did when I was an apprentice," she told him, cocking her head to the side as she scanned the large tom. Thistlestorm mutely shrugged, still remaining very silent.

Swanfeather gave him a nod, turning back around and looking down the path of bushes once again, sighing sharply as the rustling had gone, and whatever was there had left. Blinking, she turned back around.

"Hey, did you see-" she paused, staring with wide eyes at the empty space in front of her, as if Thistlestorm was never there. The only trace of the blue-gray tom was his scent. _Well that was weird, _she admitted, blinking and shaking her head as she headed back to the CedarClan camp.

She looked back, though, for some reason, possibly because she wanted to check, but she could've sworn that she saw a creamy colored tail-tip disappear into a thorn bush, walking through it's thorns as if they were air.

…

"No, I'm sure that I saw something," Swanfeather protested, watching as Nightflower just rolled her eyes and turned around.

"Okay, sure, and I'm actually a BriarClan tom who's protecting the kits from a kitnapper," she mocked, rolling her eyes at Swanfeather. "Not to offend you or anything, Swanfeather, but I remember some little twink telling Rainstar that there was a badger trying to eat a bracken bush outside of camp," she reminded her, turning back around and dropping her voice to a hiss. "And I don't think that happened, either,"

Swanfeather frowned, narrowing her eyes. "I was a kit, Nightflower!" she growled.

Nightflower snorted, "And when I was a kit, my mother would've cuffed me if I'd been like that: spreading rumors about badgers and scaring the dirt out of every sane elder," she informed her, scratching behind her ear with a paw.

Swanfeather sighed, letting out a growl she didn't know she was holding. "I know we don't get along a lot," she said, her voice shaking as she tried to hold back her anger, "but what if it was an intruder? Or a spy? What if they're trying to take us down from the inside? And we're not prepared?" she asked, earning a quizzical look from the deputy.

The mottled dark gray tabby looked thoughtful, actually, blinking as she looked over at Swanfeather. "You're starting to get me worried," she admitted, shifting on her paws.

Swanfeather's ears flicked as she looked at the deputy. "So you're going to investigate it?" she asked, hopefully. She was just worried for the sake of her Clan.

Nightflower blinked, looking baffled, "Oh, no, but I'm just letting you know that you worry me a bit," she hissed, standing up and padding off to the center of the clan, calling up some cats for a hunting patrol.

Swanfeather stared for a few heartbeats, growling. _Why are the cats in this Clan so difficult? _She asked herself, shaking her head.

…

Swanfeather sighed as she walked, kicking a rock toward the roots of a large oak tree, and watching as it bounced around. Shaking her head, the silver-and-white tabby sighed, her tail flicking back and forth in thought as she stared into the forest around her, completely marveled at it's ability to remain constant and support life despite how many hardships are thrown at it.

_Some day, _she admitted to herself, smiling, _I want to be like that. Taking everyone's dirt and still being proud to be who I am. _Her whiskers twitched.

_I just hate how cats can be so mean to you and then get away with it because of their 'position' in the Clan, or because no one cares enough to do anything about it._

* * *

><p><strong>Swanfeather is now one of my favorites to write about, because her storyline in this story is really something to relate to: she wants to prove herself and come on top despite how many people give her crap for it. <strong>

**I hope that you're all with me despite my long pause in updates!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the space in updates, but stuff went down. But no matter!**

**This chapter is both a bit funny, and very angsty.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five<strong>

_Her persistence is both alarming and annoying. _She let out a sigh as she observed her sister, who sat amongst the tumbled rocks of the nursery's side, speaking to Sleetkit with a flirtatious tone. Blue eyes were rolled in her annoyance, and she twitched her whiskers, turning her back from the two kits.

Rosekit padded out of the elders den right at the moment she turned around, amber eyes staring past her and at Windkit and Sleetkit. The creamy-brown kit blinked sympathetically at her.

"Don't worry about them," Rosekit meowed in a slightly irritated tone. "I don't see why you're so obsessed with Windkit's drama anyway." Her voice slightly dropped, like a mumble.

She flattened her ears to her head. "I just…," she sighed, looking over her shoulder, before looking back at Rosekit. "I just don't see what's wrong with me, Rosekit," she finished, laying down on the floor and resting her head on her paws.

Rosekit blinked. "There's nothing wrong with you, Mintkit," she told her quietly, sitting down on the space in front of her.

Mintkit looked up at the Flightbranch, where Silverstar called her meetings. She had heard from Larkwing and Crowclaw's low gossip that Silverstar's apprentice, Darkpaw, would become a warrior today - granted that he passed his assessment. Mintkit looked back at Rosekit, shrugging.

"If there wasn't something wrong with me, than maybe Ashkit would talk to me again," she murmured, getting to her paws and shaking out her fur. _I miss playing with my former denmates, _She looked back at the nursery, where the gray form of Ashkit was running out of the nursery, batting at his brother.

Sleetkit looked shocked, but the black tom grinned, pouncing on his brothers back and rolling in the dirt. Windkit frowned from her spot, getting to her paws and leaning over the rocks, shouting something inaudible to the two kits.

Mintkit ignored Rosekit when the other kit opened her mouth to say something, and padded toward the elders den, slipping into the great cedar that concealed the older cats - or, her new den.

Crowclaw was sleeping, of course, his dark gray flanks rising and falling as he took his gentle breaths. Larkwing and Rabbitspring were arguing about something, Rabbitspring practically talking over the blind tortoiseshell.

Mintkit sighed, walking over to her nest beside her kin, and sitting down in it, deciding against laying there. Even though she hardly got any sleep last night - only the nap before she and Rosekit left to the Gathering - she wasn't tired at all.

Mintkit scrunched her nose bridge. _Weird. _

"…and I'm telling you that I won't take you hunting anymore," Rabbitspring growled, the mottled tabby letting out a small hiss.

Larkwing hissed back. "Oh, so I'm just going to stay in here all day? Why are you so lazy?" she countered, tail lashing.

Rabbitspring put his head onto his large, brown paws, smirking. "At least I'm not the one who's throwing a fit."

Mintkit's head peeked over Crowclaw's body, watching as Larkwing swatted - claw's sheathed, of course - at thin air, right over Rabbitspring's ears.

The long-legged elder grinned, picking up his head. "How can you expect to hunt if you can't even swipe at _me_?" he asked.

Mintkit rolled her eyes at their constant bickering, putting her head on her paws, and looking through the entrance of the den, waiting for the Clan meeting.

She heard what sounded like a paw making contact with fur, and than a hiss of pain and surprise.

"Did I miss that time?" Larkwing growled, a smirk playing in her voice.

Rabbitspring growled. "You hit my cheek, you crazy blind she-cat!"

Mintkit had to stop herself from laughing as she heard Larkwing's voice turn into the tone that mothers used on their kits. "Aw, does little Rabbitkit want me to take him to Embersky and Birdstreak for his battle wound?"

Mintkit sighed at her two new denmates, shaking her head at them. Slowly, she found herself closing her eyes, the exhaustion from last night finally biting at her eyelids.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

_She was somewhere; the exact place was unknown to her, but the she-kit raised her muzzle, tasting the air in experimentation. _

_It was extremely familiar, a scent that she constantly woke up to each and every morning, and she longed to go out and explore. Another taste of the air proved her theory to be correct: RobinClan territory._

_Mintkit blinked her blue eyes, almost gasping at how green, how vibrant all of the foliage and trees looked. A bubbling stream was coming from a little bit away, causing her to turn and look straight at a beautiful and clear stream. A tinge of resentment and jealousy welled in her stomach._

I wish the current RobinClan territory was still like this, _she thought, sighing. A wave of curiosity hit her, causing her to narrow her eyes. _Why isn't it still like this? Did the stream dry up, or something?

"_You're dumb, Snakepaw, you know that, right?" The voice, blurry, sounded slightly familiar. _

_Mintkit's ears pricked, turning and seeing two cats - apprentice sized - trotting into the clearing, one of them blurred beyond a clear identity. The clearer one was a brown tabby, green eyes set in a handsome face. _

_She supposed that he was Snakepaw, for he turned and gave the blurry cat an eye roll. "No I am not." He snapped, lightly but still a snap._

_The blurry cat laughed, voice still disheveled beyond a pinpoint to an identity. "Yeah, well…," the cat trailed off, body tensing as if they had heard something._

_Mintkit blinked; had they spotted her? But Snakepaw was still calm and relaxed, as if nothing was bothering him like his companion._

"_You've been…different, ever since the accident," Snakepaw meowed slowly after a pregnant pause._

_The blurry cat looked away. "A lot has been on my mind. I was in the medicine cat den for a long time," it growled._

_Mintkit's head cocked in confusion as well as curiosity. What were they talking about? An accident? The light gray kit flicked her ear, padding closer to where the two apprentices were talking._

_Snakepaw sighed. "Come on, than. I know a swim in the stream will cheer you up," he meowed, flicking his tail and beckoning for the she-cat to follow._

_Suddenly, Mintkit's heartbeat picked up speed. _Wait a second - Snakepaw? Stream? I remember what Larkwing said! Oh, who was the cat who attacked Snakepaw and her? Wait, is Larkwing here too?

_Mintkit's eyes widened, eyes flicking from where Snakepaw and the soon-to-be murderous she-cat were walking down a small slope and to the stream, looking for Larkwing. _

_Her eyes sketched every bracken bush that was in eyes view, trying to make out a tortoiseshell frame. _Larkwing has to be here, and I just have to help her! _She looked to where Snakepaw was just in the middle of bending down to lap at the stream. Her eyes widened. _Wait - Snakepaw first!

_She let out a small growl as the blurry cat's white teeth suddenly became visible, mouth curling up into a grin. Mintkit growled once again, charging forward to the two cat's that were the center of her dream. _

_As soon as she propelled her way forward, she passed through Snakepaw, flopping down a few pawsteps from him. Not knowing the foreign territory, she rolled down the steeper side of the incline, splashing into the stream._

_Mintkit let out a gasp, feeling water pulling her down, as if it had claws ripping into her hind legs and tail. Her small paws splashed at the surface, and she tried to swim up, to get up higher to yell for Snakepaw to help her, or, better yet, run. _

_That's when the blurry cat reared up, crashing down on her brothers smaller frame, and biting the back of his neck. She scratched his shoulders as she struggled to keep him down, and to stop bouncing up to try and throw her off._

_Snakepaw's eyes were wide with horror, and, worse, the chill of betrayal from a sibling. Mintkit felt water gurgle in her mouth, a small current welling around her. Fear pricked down her spine, colder than the stream water._

_Red tentacles of blood crept closer to Mintkit, from Snakepaw's now limp body, a bite mark on the back of his neck. _

_Mintkit kicked at the water, but of course, nothing could stop the water from tugging down on her harder, sending up to her chin underneath the icy currents._

_She almost let out a scream when she saw a tortoiseshell cat, amber eyes wide with fear, gasp out loud, and the blurry cat turn to face her. _

_Drowning was unpleasant, even if it was in a dream._

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

Mintkit shivered with displeasure as she opened her eyes, suddenly back into reality, and not in the past.

Crowclaw was still asleep, tail twitching and eyelids fluttering in his deep slumber. She shook herself, eyes wide with the horror of her dream, and how real it felt.

"Let all cat's old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Flightbranch for a Clan meeting," Mintkit let out a sigh of relief as she heard Silverstar's voice, standing up and stretching out her stiff bones.

Mintkit prodded Crowclaw, allowing him open his eyes and blink almost rapidly, picking up his broad head and looking around. "Wha…?" he asked, yawning.

"Clan meeting," Mintkit told her kin calmly, allowing him space to get up and stretch himself. Crowclaw nodded, before padding out of the den, a bit slowly, obviously not planning to wake up Larkwing and Rabbitspring.

Mintkit watched him leave, and turned to wake up the two constantly bickering elders, but paused at the rare but sort of funny sight she was seeing.

Larkwing and Rabbitspring were close together in their nests, Rabbitspring's tail over Larkwing's and their pelts close together.

_It's kind of weird since they're both old… _She thought, blinking. Then she smiled, giggling. _But it's also kind of cute. _

"Hey, guys, wake up," Mintkit called over to them, watching as Larkwing blinked open her sightless amber eyes.

Rabbitspring followed in suit, a cocky grin playing on his face as he saw Larkwing curled so close to him. "Well, well, well," he purred, making a small show of rubbing his cheek with Larkwing's. "Morning, sweetheart,"

Larkwing's eyes widened, and she hissed, leaping away from Rabbitspring and arching her back, hitting her cheek with her dappled paw.

"Gross! What's wrong with you?" she snapped, baring her fangs at him.

Rabbitspring laughed, getting up and walking away, ignoring the insults that Larkwing was throwing at his back.

Mintkit giggled, padding out with Rabbitspring and pricking her ears to hear the exact insults:

"You're so gross! What's wrong with you? Do you need to have your brain checked? Great StarClan, why did you press your fur so close to mine?"

Larkwing fell silent as they padded out of the elders den, sniffing the air and padding as far away from Rabbitspring as she could possible get within range.

Mintkit let out a purr of delight as Rosekit scuttled towards her, rubbing flanks with her friend as she ran up to her.

"Good to see you," she purred, before falling a little grim. "I had a horrible nightmare…," she murmured, before Silverstar's voice drowned her out.

"Cat's of RobinClan, today marks a special day, because I am naming a new warrior amongst us!" The silver she-cat looked down, before jumping off of the Flightbranch, and to her apprentice, Darkpaw.

Mintkit noted that the jet-black tom had sleekly groomed fur, as if he had spent a day grooming it and making it presentable. She felt a tug on her heartstrings as she remembered that Darkpaw's mother, Briarsong, died moons ago, right before Darkpaw was made into an apprentice.

Silverstar's voice brought Mintkit back to reality. "Do you, Darkpaw, promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect RobinClan, even if it means the cost of your life?" she asked, her voice kind but with a leader-like quality.

Darkpaw nodded. "I do."

The smile that grew on Silverstar's face was gentle and kind. "Than by the powers of StarClan, I name you Darkstorm, for your courage and perseverance to provide for your Clan. May you serve us for many moons."

Mintkit smiled as the newly named Darkstorm's eyes brightened, allowing his former mentor's muzzle to rest between his ears, and licking her shoulder as was costumed. She immediately felt a leap of joy for the black tom.

_I can't wait until I'm made an apprentice - two more moons to go!_

"Darkstorm! Darkstorm! Darkstorm!" The Clan cheered. Mintkit watched as Darkstorm looked around him, at all the cats who were cheering his name, for him.

Mintkit's smile faded, however, when she saw Rosekit licking a paw, not even regarding the fact that a new warrior had just been named.

She sighed. "Rosekit-" she began, but stopped when she saw Splashflower stalking away from the crowd in a hurry, with Tawnyfire bounding after her, a serious and angry looking expression on his face.

Mintkit shook her head at Rosekit. "Er - never mind,"

The kit padded away from the ceremony, and toward the medicine cat den, where she had seen her parents disappear into, trying to be discrete.

Tawnyfire's voice rang out clearly, "You're being so selfish!" he yelled, clearly outraged at her mother.

She saw Splashflower flatten her ears to her head. "Well you're being an arrogant, irritating little deputy! And I'm emphasizing on little, Tawnyfire!"

Tawnyfire's amber eyes betrayed any shred of love or warm emotion that Mintkit had ever seen them hold. He growled, unsheathing his claws.

"We shouldn't be mates if we keep on fighting like this," he growled lowly, baring his teeth at Splashflower.

_No! _Mintkit's eyes widened.

Splashflower sniffed, but she looked away. "Fine then. I don't know why I choose you over all the other toms in the Clan anyway."

Tawnyfire looked hurt, but he remained stoic. "I'll never eat another piece of fresh kill with you, and I'll sleep outside if that's what it takes to get away from you once our kits are apprentices."

Splashflower laughed humorlessly. "_Our _kits? You shouldn't be Windkit's father if you can't even handle a mate," she growled, mocking him without even being fazed by what she was saying.

Mintkit's claws gripped the earth. _Windkit? Just Windkit? W-what about me? _

Tawnyfire turned. "If you want Windkit so badly, you can have her. I'll keep Mintkit then."

And with that, her parents were no longer mates.

And Mintkit couldn't help but feel as though it was all her fault.

* * *

><p><strong>I don't know if I should be sorry for breaking up Tawny and Splash.<strong>


	7. Chapter 6: Splashflower

**Chapter Six**

The mouse was crushed almost instantly beneath her paw; she felt it's bones sink to the floor, withering and cracking as it made contact with the hard packed dirt. Taking her paw off of it's back, she observed it, almost grinning.

She bent down, sniffing the mouse's back, before licking her lips, scooping it up in her jaws and flicking her tail in content. _It's been a bit since I've hunted out alone, _she thought, blinking. _It's just…unusual, in a way. I'm used to being cooped up in the nursery, with Windkit and Mintkit climbing up all over me. _

The silver tabby sighed, beginning to pad away from the scene of the crime, the succulent mouse's blood scent causing her mouth to almost water with it's entrancing smell; she blinked away her hunger, forcing it down her stomach.

"That's an unusual way to kill a mouse," She looked up, purring when she saw her sister, Riversong, standing a few pawsteps away, the she-cat's blue eyes glittering with amusement.

She smiled, putting her mouse down and looking back up at her littermate. "Well, a lot has been on my mind lately," she informed her quietly, shuffling her paws in discontent; it had only been a day since her fight with her former mate. And life wasn't the best at the moment.

Riversong frowned; she looked over her sister with sadness and pity. "Is it Tawnyfire? Are you two okay, Splashflower?" she asked, hesitantly, stepping a few pawsteps closer to her littermate.

_Okay is an understatement, _she thought, flicking her tail and turning away from the silvery she-cat. "Tawnyfire and I…," she paused, searching for the right words, if she could find them. She sighed. "Well, we're not exactly 'good' lately," She looked back at Riversong. "We had a fight. And…we're not mates anymore,"

Riversong sighed, stretching out her muzzle and nuzzling her sisters cheek. "Oh, Splashflower…," she mumbled, leaning away from her and blinking sadly. "I know he means - meant, I guess - a lot to you, but…," She smiled crookedly at her. "It'll get better." She twitched her whiskers as Splashflower sighed.

"But you don't _know_ that," she fretted, tail-tip twitching with fear. "Almost everyone will be on Tawnyfire's side - of course they will - and I'll be the bad parent," She unsheathed her claws, digging them into the ground.

Riversong blinked, clearing her throat. "Well…you _did _put Mintkit in the elders den," she murmured, flattening her ears to her head. "That calls for some suspicion, don't you think?"

Irritation prickled through the queens pelt, her green eyes narrowing at her sister. She wrinkled her nose bridge, lashing her tail and stalking away from her sister. "I did what I had to do," she mumbled, slipping through the trees. _And I don't expect anyone to understand why I did what I did to keep my daughter safe._

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . **

Splashflower stretched, her claws unsheathing as dug them into the grass, her spine bones cracking as they released the trapped air. The lukewarm sunlight beat down on her back, and it soared through her veins.

"…and I'm just telling you that you get on my _nerves_!"

"Come on, I thought we were buddies!"

Splashflower turned, blinking in a mixture of confusion and amusement as she saw Larkwing and Rabbitspring, both elders having opposite expressions on their faces. Larkwing looked more distressed in contrast to Rabbitspring's amused and pleased expression.

The elders disappeared into their den, where she could hear Larkwing's irritated hisses loudly, despite the distance between them.

She sighed, shaking her head. Splashflower blinked, flicking her ear as she saw Tawnyfire talking quietly with Silverstar, where she could've swore the occasional glance was tossed her way. The queen's eyes bore into the back of Tawnyfire's head, daring her ex-mate to turn and look her in the eyes.

_He's probably telling Silverstar some lies about how I 'did something to hurt him eternally' or that I was a 'horrible mother to Mintkit'. _She blinked again, frowning. _But…perhaps I was a bit harsh with her. _She raised her muzzle, searching the camp for her light gray daughter. She saw the small kit across camp, sharing a rabbit with Crowclaw. _I mean, I know Father will be helpful with her current situation and all. But I can't help but think that maybe I should be more of a mother to her. _

Splashflower's fur prickled along her spine, and she looked away, padding back to the nursery to be with Windkit. She had left her daughter with Duskshine, telling the black-and-white queen that she'd only be a little while.

Windkit was inside of the den, her light brown fur streaked with a darker shade being dimmed in the darkness of the stone den. Her daughter - though she wouldn't admit it with words, her _favored _daughter - was playing a game with Sleetkit, batting the tom with her paw and letting out a squeal as he bounced at her.

Duskshine gave the other queen a small smile, before looking back down at the two playing kits.

Splashflower blinked upon noticing that Ashkit wasn't playing with the other two kits, until she looked to Duskshine's nest, blinking at the gray kitten inside of their, staring off into space.

He looked trouble, as she noticed; like he was saddened by something.

"Oh, hello, Mother!" She looked over at Windkit as soon as she heard the she-kit's purr, smiling softly as she saw her daughter underneath Sleetkit's hold. The black tom was continuing to bat at her ears.

Splashflower smiled, nodding. "Hello," she replied, twitching her tail-tip. Though she was troubled by the events that had happened the previous day, she hadn't been able to find a way to tell either of her daughters.

_I can't tell them…well, not now, anyways. If I say that their father isn't allowed to see them anymore, that he isn't able to be like a father to them…it'll break their hearts. _She blinked. _I mean, I know that Windkit has never been a giant fan of Tawnyfire, but that doesn't mean that she won't feel any pain or a sense of betrayal from either of us when she hears about it. _

She sighed, trudging toward her nest with a forlorn expression on her face. It broke her heart thinking about how they would take it; she knew that it would be hard for two she-kits to grow up without their father.

Splashflower curled in her nest, staring at her daughter from across the nursery, who had finally squirmed from Sleetkit's hold. Windkit blinked at her mother, before a foray of paws came crashing toward her, causing the brown she-kit to fall onto her back. Windkit purred, batting Sleetkit's belly, before Splashflower slowly closed her eyes, allowing a dreamless sleep to take hold of her.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . **

The darkness pierced her eyes as she opened them slowly; this was a bit unusual, seeing as how the night was always so generous to the eye.

Splashflower felt fur pressing up against her, and she looked down, smiling as she saw Windkit curled up next to her. The silver tabby queen purred, bending down and nuzzling her daughters back with a soft gray nose.

Duskshine was sleeping; the black-and-white queen was curled around her two sons, tail cupping them inside of her nest in a protective shield of fur.

She looked down at her kit, before bending down and licking her daughter over the ears. Splashflower blinked, before stepping over her nest, padding silently out into the RobinClan camp.

The grassy clearing was splashed with silver moonlight, the tree's tops shining beautifully and standing out against the dark sky behind it. A few warriors were still out; she saw Goldenfur and Brambleheart conversing - the two were mates, of course; Snowpaw's parents. Silverstar was sitting on the High branch - unusually too.

The leader was always calm and collected; she never allowed worry to seep from herself, scaring cats of her Clan. But now, in the eerie glow of moonlight, the older leader was staring down at the camp, worry obvious in her expression.

Splashflower sighed, shaking her head. _There's just something wrong with this generation of cats, _she thought, shaking her head dismissively. _I bet after Snowpaw becomes a warrior, we'll have a new group of mischievous apprentices around. _She snorted, causing Goldenfur to glance up.

Splashflower glanced at her, shrugging. Goldenfur blinked, before turning her pale amber eyes back to her mate, and continuing their previous conversation.

The queen glanced up at the starry sky; was StarClan looking down on her, wondering how a she-cat named for something so motherly, could turn out to be a disappointment like this?

_I know that doing what I did to Mintkit was something unheard of, something that no mother should ever do to their kit. But…I just couldn't handle for my own flesh and blood to be brought up as a kit for everyone to pick on, to bother and be bullied. Tawnyfire thinks I'm a terrible mother - maybe he's right. After all…I do care about him; I always have. But he's not Eagleheart. He won't be; Tawnyfire's handsome, he's kind, and he's an amazing fighter and father. But Eagleheart was something different. But maybe he's looking down at me and wondering how I could do this to my daughter. _Her face softened, and Splashflower stared at her paws.

She heard the trees whisper in the wind behind her, swaying back and forth and shimmering a light, silvery-green. Splashflower flattened her ears to her head, before turning around and padding to the gorse tunnel that lead out into RobinClan territory, her tail swishing back and forth.

She heard the branches swaying around, clanking into each other and causing a few leaves to spin from their hold and onto the ground in front of her.

Splashflower unsheathed her claws suddenly, breaking out into a sprint. Her claws scooped up dirt with each stride; the dirt sprayed behind her in a dusty breeze. She couldn't help herself, but she felt a snarl rising in her throat.

_I did what I had to do._

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . **

Splashflower skidded to a halt as she reached the abandoned twoleg nest; the sky wasn't a polished deep gray like it was in camp, instead the sun had set in this direction not long ago, so a brighter color shined here.

She shook her head at the unnecessary sky observation, looking at the twoleg nest with a small hint of curiosity. Usually, coming to the twoleg nest was almost scarce nowadays; it was only used for collecting herbs nowadays.

The queen sighed, her tail-tip flicking side to side in agitation and fear - for for the fact that perhaps all Mintkit would ever want to remember about her mother was that she made sure she had to stay in the elders den, cut off from the rest of the kits and her mothers warmth. Her body felt like ice; cold, warmly so. She let out a grunt of dissatisfaction, completely both irritated and bothered by the fact of the loss of her mate and of the possible future loss of her two daughters.

She raised her face to the sky, looking up at the glittery froth that twirled in a loose whisk. _Eagleheart, if you can...could you send me a sign about Swanfeather? Or at least something about how she's doing nowadays? _She frowned. _I don't get to see her anymore - I miss that._

Splashflower's tail-tip flicked, and she raised her muzzle, sniffing the air. It was spiked with the tang of herbs, and even a trace of vole. Splashflower twitched her nose, before padding up to the stone steps leading up to the wooden nest.

The silver she-cat sighed, curling up on the highest of the steps. Loss and sadness tugged at her pelt; these emotions were not new to her, but they were not welcome either. Her ears flattened to her head, tail curling over her nose.

Before she fell into yet another sleep, she could've sworn that she saw the faintest trace of creamy-brown flash across the background, yellow eyes burning into her vision and following her into her dreams.

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

_Everything was quiet. Nothing was even sounding as a sort of alarm or a way for her to possibly understand or grasp what was happening in this dream - this dark, quiet dream of hers. She felt her paws tingle; she moved them up and down to fix the buzzing sensation in them._

_She raised her muzzle as a familiar scent wavered over her muzzle, tingling her whiskers and filling her with a sensation of want and warmth - two pleasant but dark emotions that she had constantly craved in her waking world. She wanted to feel like a new warrior again - where everything was good, everything was funny and peaceful, all at the same time. It was a beautiful time._

_A dark brown-and-white tabby tom slipped toward her, green eyes warmly glowing her way. _

_"Eagleheart!" she cried, running from her spot and to her former mate. Splashflower purred as she rubbed her muzzle against his, pressing the top of her head onto his chest and letting out a lengthy purr._

_Eagleheart smiled down at her, licking the top of her head. "It's good to see you too, Splashflower," he murmured. _

_Splashflower took a step back from him, blinking up at him. "You sound...different. Are you okay? Is there something wrong with Swanfeather?" she asked, the motherly instinct immediately coming out of her as she saw the grave look in his eyes. _

Please tell me that my daughter is okay, _she thought, flattening her ears to her head as Eagleheart blinked somberly. _I can't loose her like I lost Eagleheart, Oakkit, and Streamkit.

_"Swanfeather is perfectly fine. But StarClan's sent me with a warning," he informed her, blinking. "I can't tell you much, and I have to go, but...there's evil in your Clan, Splashflower. And it doesn't have a good outcome." _

_The dream faded like a twist of a broken paw - with pain and with a million thoughts flashing through her brain. _


	8. Chapter 7

**Welcome to chapter seven - our favorite, Minty! Well, maybe she's just my favorite...**

**Onward!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven<strong>

She blinked open her blue eyes, fuzzy, light gray paws cutting off half of her vision. The small she-kit blinked, lifting her head and stretching out her jaws in a yawn. Getting to her paws, she stretched, her tail kinking up and over her back. The small kitten got back to her paws fully, shaking out her fur and scattering pieces of moss.

_The scent of the elders is welcoming now, _she thought, scrunching her muzzle. _But I much rather be in the nursery, with my mother and Windkit. Even though Windkit is a pain at times…I still love her, no matter what. _She looked up at her kin, Crowclaw, watching as the elder snorted in his sleep, ear flicking. _Crowclaw is more of a parent to me than his own daughter is! Splashflower acts as if I'm not even her kit; Windkit is all she cares about now. _

She blinked at the elder, before turning back to the entrance to the elders den. The reddish-brown wood of the cedar was curled in a sort of long, circular shape, large enough for a cat to slip through. The long, languid stalks of grass that were poking out from the camp's flooring beckoned to her, calling for her to hop through the tree trunk and to roll in its softness.

Twitching her nose, she stepped over the small barricade of moss, and bounced over to the entrance to the den. In her wake, she heard grumbles coming from Crowclaw, something about rabbits or moles. She shrugged a shoulder, unconcerned for his daze-like dreams.

The whole of RobinClan camp filled her with a sense of well-being, with a ting of homeliness. After that thought, she let out a snort, unconvinced. _Yeah, my 'home'. What's a home, exactly? A home is a place where you feel welcomed, where you're loved no matter your flaws. This is just a place where I am bound by kin and my age. When I get older…. _She grumbled, shaking her head.

"Good morning, Mintkit," she looked up as soon as she saw Embersky, another member of her bloodline. The pretty cream she-cat gave her a polite nod, borage leaves in her mouth.

Mintkit looked curiously at the herbs; she was no medicine cat apprentice, but she did remember the scent of when she and her sister were still weaning milk from her mother's belly. Her head tilted in curiosity – wasn't that used for helping queens milk come?

Embersky's eyes flickered down to the herbs, and she smiled, nodding. "Oh, these?" she asked.

The pale gray kit nodded, tilting her head to the side as she looked at the herbs. "Not to be nosy, but aren't those used for queen's who've just given birth? What, did we take in another queen?" she asked, both jokingly but also a bit serious.

The medicine cat shook her head, one of the leaves slipping further from her grasp. "Well…it's a bit of a secret," she informed her, getting ready to pad off.

"Oh, okay," Mintkit mewed politely, dipping her head in understanding and respect.

Embersky nodded once again, before padding away and toward the stone den known as the nursery. Mintkit looked after her, twitching her whiskers.

_A secret? What – is Splashflower chewing more borage leaves because Windkit still weans milk from her?_ She laughed slightly, shaking her head and looking back at the camp.

She bounded toward the fresh-kill pile, the scent of bird and other various prey items filling her nose. Her mouth almost watered; it had been a bit since she had gotten prey to eat. Mintkit padded up to the pile of prey, licking her lips at the plump mouse that sat in front of her. She stretched open her jaws, preparing to get a taste of it, until a voice jolted her away from it, causing the mouse to fall straight on her.

"Don't you think that's a bit too big for you?"

Mintkit turned, almost growling as she saw Rosekit standing behind her, the creamy-brown she-kit tilting her head to the side in amusement as she saw the mouse almost crushing Mintkit.

The pale gray kit squeezed out from its grasp, allowing the mouse to plop onto the ground in front of her. "No," she murmured, grabbing it's ear and beginning to drag it back into the direction of the elders den. "It's a perfectly reasonable size."

Rosekit stepped to the side as Mintkit dragged it, shaking her head and purring. "You're going to need help eating that," she meowed, almost offering her assistance.

Mintkit let go of the ear, looking up at the other kit, and flicking her whiskers. "I've never seen you eat prey before," the she-cat confessed, looking toward the fresh-kill pile, and then back at Rosekit. "You always just talk to me, never eat…," she murmured, confused.

Rosekit sighed, shaking her head. "Sometimes I think you have fluff for brains, Minty," she purred, flicking her tail over Mintkit's ear.

She twitched her nose, blinking. "Well, then do you want to share it with me?" she asked.

A cocky grin came from Rosekit, spreading across her admittedly pretty features. _Prettier than I'll ever be. _"No, I'm not hungry," she purred, causing Mintkit's fur to fluff up.

Shaking her head, Mintkit grabbed the mouse's ear once again, beginning to drag it to the elders den once again. "You're insane sometimes," she told her, voice muffled from the mouse.

Rosekit rolled her eyes, going ahead of Mintkit and leaping through the cedar tree. "At least I don't have to sleep in the elders den," she pointed out once Mintkit came through the hollow hole.

Mintkit dropped the mouse just outside of the entrance, looking up and frowning at her. Rosekit bit her lip, grabbing the mouse's tail and beginning to drag it to Mintkit's nest.

"Too soon?" she asked, looking up at the pale gray she-kit.

"You can say that," Mintkit sighed, bouncing inside of her nest.

A grumble interrupted her readiness to sink her small teeth into the mouse's side, and she looked up, seeing Rabbitspring shifting in his sleep. The long-legged elder blinked open glazed amber eyes – from old age, as she noted – and lifted his head, yawning.

The old tom looked from her paws, and to Mintkit, frowning. "Your one-sided conversation interrupted my sleep," he growled, his tail lashing.

_It wasn't one-sided, _She wanted to tell him, but decided against it, knowing that he wouldn't believe her. _No one does anymore. _

"Oh, sorry," she murmured to the mottled tabby, looking back down at her plump mouse. "I guess there was just some stuff on my mind." She lied, the fib feeling bitter on her tongue; she hated lying.

Rabbitspring snorted, laying his head back on his paws. "I can't wait until you become an apprentice," he mumbled, not caring enough to quiet it down so it couldn't reach her ears. "Maybe then we'll have a bit of sleep."

_Yeah, you don't get enough sleep because of _me. _You sleep all day; every time I come in here after playing with Rosekit, there you are, sleeping. And when you're not doing that, you're irritating Larkwing even more. _She glanced at the tortoiseshell she-cat; Larkwing was sleeping , her dappled tail curled over her muzzle. The faint scars that were slashed across her eye line were visible – barely, even so.

_I feel even worse for her knowing that she never knew what it was like to be a warrior, _She frowned, tilting her head to the side. _That must be terrible for a cat; to be denied access to become a warrior. And it was all that Rosefeather's fault._

Mintkit looked back at her mouse, sinking her teeth into its juicy flank. She ripped off a chunk of the succulent meat, chewing it slowly to savor the taste. After swallowing it, she cast a glance to Rosekit, who was busy giving a glare to each elder.

The pale gray kit paused from taking another bite of her mouse, watching her friend with complete interest. The way Rosekit was staring at Larkwing, Rabbitspring, and Crowclaw could easily be compared to how a fox stared at a kit – hungrily.

_Rosekit's been weird lately, ever since Larkwing told me, Windkit, Sleetkit, and Ashkit about how she became blind, _She slowly took a bite, chewing it quietly. _I remember when she said that Larkwing got the story wrong too; that she didn't tell it right. I've never questioned her before – I've never had a real reason to. But…she's just been getting so strange lately. Like she just has it out for everyone. _

Mintkit shook her head, swallowing the piece of mouse in her mouth. _Rosekit's my friend – and all of my friends are good cats. I trust her, and she trusts me. We went to the Gathering together; she helped me make my way there. If she was up to something, then I'd know about it before anyone else would. _

_If she was up to something._

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

Mintkit padded toward the center of camp, casting a glance at Rosekit as the she-kit bounced toward her. Rosekit's dawn-colored fur shined in the sunlight; gleaming with a well-groomed quality. Mintkit smiled at her friend, flicking her tail as Rosekit halted beside her.

"I love the smell of mornings," Rosekit purred, raising her muzzle and taking a sniff of the small breeze that blew through the trees. Rosekit flicked her tail, glancing at Mintkit and bumping her head on the pale gray kit's shoulder. "You act so stiff sometimes," she murmured, glancing away from her and to the nursery. "Is it because of your parents?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

Guilt squeezed at Mintkit's stomach, ears flattening her head. "I don't know," she confessed after a pregnant pause. "I mean, it might not be my fault entirely… But I know that if I wasn't so weird than maybe Splashflower would love me like she loves Windkit – like a daughter." She mumbled, looking down at her small paws.

A small hiss interrupted her self-pity, causing her to jolt and look up at Rosekit. "You're not weird, Mintkit," she snapped, causing the pale gray kit to recoil. "You're not weird," she repeated, this time lower but just as ordering. "Everyone's weird; you just show it more than others do."

Mintkit blinked, shuffling her paws. "Is…is that supposed to make me feel better?" she asked quietly, tail curling around one hind leg.

After a one shoulder shrug, Rosekit began padding to the nursery. "It was _supposed _to, but I guess it didn't work out as well as I thought," she called over her shoulder.

Sighing, Mintkit bounded after her friend, matching Rosekit's quick walking speed. "You make me feel so much better, Rosekit, you know?"

Rosekit gave her a side glance and smirked, "I try," she laughed, flicking Mintkit's flank with her tail-tip. Mintkit rolled her eyes, batting Rosekit's ear with a paw.

The familiar scent of the nursery caught her off guard slightly, causing Mintkit to lift up her muzzle, tasting the warm and welcoming scent. She smiled, remembering the blissful memories that she shared only weeks ago with Windkit and Splashflower. _But that's the past now, _she thought with a low growl, whiskers twitching.

"Hi, Mintkit!" She jolted as she heard Ashkit's excited mew, looking up as the gray tom bounded toward him, dark blue eyes filled with bright happiness. "I haven't seen you in a few days – where were you?" he asked, with a pestering tone.

She cleared her throat, watching out of the corner of her eye as Rosekit padded into the nursery. "I was in the elders den," she told him, looking back at him fully. "What – didn't you hear it from my mother or Windkit?" she asked.

Suddenly, she saw Sleetkit stalking past both of them, rolling his eyes as he scoffed. "Look what the imaginary friend dragged in," he hissed, kinking his tail over his back as he twitching his whiskers. "What, is being around bone-bags who don't see how weird you are becoming boring?" he asked, flicking his ear. "Because, you're not coming back in here as long as I still have 'kit after my name!"

Mintkit's ears flattened, and her tail smacked against the nursery floor. _I shouldn't have come back here, _Instantly, she turned her back from him, beginning to pad out of the nursery.

"Mousebrain!" She heard Ashkit hiss at his brother, and then the sound of a paw whipping through the air. "You don't have to be so mean to her!"

"I was just telling the truth!" Mintkit was padding further away from the nursery, the voices coming from it becoming muffled. "If she can't handle it, than she shouldn't have come back!"

_I can't even visit my sister without being ridiculed from someone. Why can everyone pick at me and get away with it, but whenever I do something that's 'out of the ordinary', I get moved to a different den? This Clan is so unfair! Silverstar is unfair, Splashflower is unfair, Tawnyfire is unfair, Embersky is unfair…everyone is! Even Larkwing, I bet! _

_I can't believe that every cat in this Clan thinks that I'm some type of crazy kit, _She frowned, her paws suddenly leading her to the warriors den, despite her troubled thoughts. She suddenly smiled softly as she saw her father padding from the warriors den, his small size making it easier for him to slip through the den.

"Hello, Tawnyfire!" she called to him, watching as he turned toward her, blinking frazzled amber eyes at her.

Her father nodded toward her. "Hello, Mintkit," he mumbled, looking down at his paws – something unusual for him.

Tawnyfire had always been a very well rounded tom; he usually didn't show signs of distress or fear. That was one of the reasons that Mintkit had always looked up to him; he was always so brave, strong, and nice. Windkit had differed from her opinions on their father – she said that he was unfair to her, and favored Mintkit.

_Maybe that's true, _she thought, smiling softly to herself. _I think so – Tawnyfire snuck me a piece of his sparrow one time, even though Splashflower told me that I couldn't eat my own fresh-kill until Windkit stopped weaning from her belly. _

Shaking her head, she looked back up at her father, cocking her head to one side. "What's wrong?" she asked, fearing that she already knew the answer. "You look tired," she informed, pointing her nose to her father's exhausted-looking amber eyes.

Tawnyfire looked down at his paws again, striking at Mintkit's heart. "I'm just not very happy lately, that's all," he mumbled, looking back at her and flicking her ear with his tail – something that everyone seemed to be doing to her lately.

"But I'll be okay," he meowed, giving her a crooked smile.

Mintkit watched as he began to pad away, tail flicking side to side in agitation. She sighed, glancing back at the warriors den, where she saw Rowanberry and Goldenfur beginning to pad out, both she-cats chatting and laughing about something.

_How come it's my bloodline that's cursed with troubles? _She asked inwardly, frowning. _Splashflower and Tawnyfire are fighting, Windkit's just…Windkit, and I think that there's something wrong with Embersky…_

_Is my family doomed to suffering?_

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

Night had begun to fall on the grassy clearing, moonlight shimmering across the large, tall trees that surrounded the camp. Mintkit glanced up at the sky, watching as silvery-gray clouds moved across the sea of darkness, slowly coming toward the waxing moon.

She yawned, feeling exhaustion begin to creep through her fur, biting at the back of her eyes. _I hope Larkwing and Rabbitspring haven't fought today, _she thought, beginning to trudge toward the looming cedar. _Every time they do, I'm subjected to sleeping in Larkwing's nest in between Crowclaw and Rabbitspring. _She shivered slightly, beginning to bound to the den in order to get there before anything happened.

She turned the corner, but was unable to avoid smacking into a leg full of golden fur. Hitting the muscular leg caused Mintkit to bounce back, her nose burning with pain as she rubbed it, the electrifying pain spreading across her face.

"Mintkit, you need to watch where you're going!" She backed away as she heard her father's hiss, watching as Tawnyfire looked down at her, fur bristling.

Finding her words, she stuttered out slowly, "I…I…,"

He hissed, shaking his head. "I have to deal with your mother's constant babbling, and your sisters irritating mews…I don't need you bumbling into my leg's!" he snapped, and pausing to give her a glare.

Tawnyfire lashed his tail, before stepping over her, mumbling something underneath his breath as he left in a huff.

She stared after him, completely unaware as Rosekit bounced over to her, sniffing her.

"Woah – are you okay?" she asked, amber eyes worried.

Mintkit nodded slowly, hurt stinging in her eyes. She watched as her father disappeared into Silverstar's den, his brightly-colored tail tip being sucked into the darkness.

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><p><strong>I guess a *le gasp* moment is in order - Tawnyfire snapped at Minty! *le gasp*<strong>

**On a small note, I'm really, really asking you guys to review. I know I left for quite some time, but it does make me upset and hurts my drive to write when I see that I only have one review days after posting the chapter. I know that people are viewing this story; over three hundred over the period of posting chapter six. And, all I'm asking is for some more reviews; anonymous or not.**

**Thank you!**


	9. Chapter 8: Embersky & Blazeclaw

**Hello everyone! As you can see, I didn't have that long of a pause this time! Hurray! **

**Anywho. This chapter was fun to write, since I'm including two POV's in this one. I've noticed that I've been consistent in having she-cat POV's in this story; well, I suppose we'll welcome our first male POV, Blazeclaw! Don't know who he is? Well, he is important in dear, dear Rose's life, as you can tell from his POV...**

**Onward!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight<strong>

Bending down to nibble at the burdock root, she felt its roots crackle underneath her teeth, before she felt her fangs meet each other as the herb was amputated from the ground. Looking over her shoulder and dropping it into the pile behind her, she flicked her cream tail, looking back and watching as her apprentice stalked around the small patch of roots.

"Leaf-fall is coming soon," The brown she-cat noted, glancing up at the slim cat. "Should I go and get the catmint, Embersky?" she asked, flicking her ear in curiosity.

Embersky twitched her whiskers, glancing over her shoulder. She saw the flicker of darkening leaves swaying from the pine trees, hiding underneath the layer of fresher foliage. Blinking, she turned back to her apprentice, letting out a sigh.

She nodded. "Yes, Birdstreak. We don't know what sickness could strike RobinClan when the chill of leafbare hits us," she murmured, the last sentence partially to herself.

"Right."

The grass swayed as the lithe apprentice turned her back to her mentor, bounding out of the small clearing and in the direction of the BriarClan border – where the most plentiful of the catmint lay. Embersky watched as Birdstreak's brown tail-tip – black streaks becoming barely visible – disappeared through the bush.

The cream she-cat stared after her for a moment; the bushes swayed in her wake, as if attempting to cover up any trace that she had ever been there. Embersky turned from that side of the clearing, padding swiftly back to burdock root pile.

She bent down again, pressing her pink nose closely to the herbs. She scented them; a foul root was easier to detect if scented rather than tasted. Each one held a sharp tang – perfectly good.

Grasping them in her jaws, the medicine cat began stalking away from the patch, weaving through the bush and flicking her tail in her own wake. She padded through the thick undergrowth, leaves dangling from her jaws.

_I hope that the static grip of leaf-fall won't shake RobinClan too hard, _She blinked, treading lightly over a tree root. _The cold will not only drive the prey into their hiding holes, but I know that the chill could potentially bring greencough and whitecough in our Clan. And leafbare will only be so much more worse – more problems will arise. Getting our herb supply before it suffocates underneath the layers of snow is the best thing we can do right now._

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

"Embersky!"

She jolted from sorting her herbs; the dandelions scattered loosely around, mixing in with the other piles and in around the den. Her paws scrambling to get them back together, the medicine cat turned, looking with narrowed eyes as Rainclaw hopped on three paws into her den.

The gray tom held up one paw, a look of pain flashing in his amber eyes. "Embersky, I got a thorn in my paw!" he wailed, ears flattening to his head.

Embersky swiftly stood up, making her way to the warrior. She nosed at his pad; she felt him wince as her muzzle brushed against the admittedly large thorn that had settled itself in the middle of his paw pad. She broke her muzzle away, nodding.

"Alright, I'll get it out for you," she informed him gently, smiling softly at the smaller warrior.

Rainclaw sniffled, light colored eyes wide – to Embersky, he reminded her of a wounded kit. "O-okay."

She bent down, opening her jaws. She grabbed the head of the thorn, tugging it from his paw. Rainclaw whimpered, but she continued; she knew that dulling it and being slow in pulling it out would only cause the warrior more pain. The thorn slid out, and Embersky spat it back on the ground, looking back to the young warrior.

"I'll go get you some dock leaves," she murmured as she saw the bloodied paw pad. Turning, she quickly padded to her disheveled herb pile; the large, tangy leaves sat neatly beside some of the dandelions that Birdstreak had picked up for her.

Grabbing them in her mouth, she made her way toward Rainclaw once again, setting them down in front of him. Beginning to chew them into a pulp, as to apply to his wound.

She rubbed them onto the tom's wound, and Rainclaw let out a soothed purr.

"Oh, thank StarClan," he purred, letting out a sigh. "That feels much better, Embersky," he murmured.

Embersky took her muzzle away from his paw pad, smiling as the bleeding already began to die down; even though most medicine cats indulged in cleaning the wounds of any blood before putting the pulp on the paw, she found that that method caused a sharp stinging pain for the wounded cat.

She frowned as she thought of Birdstreak; she did enjoy mentoring her apprentice, but the brown she-cat was very fretful – usually she had something to say against Embersky's methods. She shook her head, looking back to her patient.

Embersky put her paw underneath Rainclaw's injured one, hoisting it up higher as to inspect it better. "It'll heal just fine," she informed him, looking from the gray tom's paw and at his face. "But don't walk on it for the rest of the day. Warrior duties are off for you." She told him sternly.

Rainclaw frowned; many warriors were very attached to their duties. But he nodded wistfully having a slightly forced smile. "Thank you, Embersky," he meowed, nodding.

The ferns ruffled from the side of the den as a small breeze took over; Rainclaw pricked his ears, but the tom said nothing more as he padded from the den, tail disappearing into the waning sunlight.

_Good thing that this is just a wounded paw, _Embersky turned from the entrance to her den, and back to her mangled herb pile. She began sorting them out once again; she frowned as she saw a slightly crumpled lavender plant. _We could be having much more serious cases come leafbare and late leaf-fall. And I need to be prepared; I can't lose another warrior. _

Embersky sighed reluctantly, her paws tingling as she surveyed her den. Everything was in its place – just like she'd want it to be. The cream medicine cat flicked her tail, turning away from her herbs and supplies and padding to the entrance of the den, slipping through the ferns and padding into the grassy clearing.

_I shouldn't worry as much as I do; my Clan is possibly the strongest of the three. But RobinClan is more prone to diseases; kit disease, greencough, whitecough, and not to mention the hip issues that some of the elders get as they age. Birdstreak and I will do the best that we can when the time comes; she doesn't worry as much as I, but maybe she should. _

She looked to the Flightbranch; a small sparrow bounced among the aging moss that clung to the branches slim figure. She twitched her muzzle. Hunting was forbidden on the Flightbranch; this law was created by generations before Silverstar's time as leader.

Embersky slipped through a small crowd of three warriors as they headed out for the hunting patrol, nodding to them as they passed. The cream she-cat's tail-tip twitched in thought as she looked at the warriors, watching as they passed through the vine tunnel leading out to RobinClan territory.

She turned back to the Clan life, watching as Goldenfur and Flamestripe padded out of the warriors den, Falconclaw following them.

"Embersky!"

She turned, startled, and watched as her brother padded quickly toward her, tail erected in worry and amber eyes wide.

The cream cat blinked in puzzlement, flicking her tail side to side.

"I think there's something wrong with Silverstar," the deputy meowed quickly as soon as he reached her, keeping his voice low so that no cat could overhear.

Embersky's eyes widened; she watched as Tawnyfire looked around quickly, shifting his eyes so that he could see if anyone had heard.

"Take me to her."

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

Silverstar's raspy coughs caused Embersky to wince; she watched as the leader that she had known ever since she became a full medicine cat lay on her side, with Tawnyfire posted right beside her. The deputy blinked, frowning.

"She's sick, isn't she?" the small golden tom asked, looking back down as Silverstar coughed again, shoulders and sides heaving as they became harsher.

The silver leader looked up from her nest, giving a weak smile to the two other most important cats in the Clan. "I'm fine," she rasped, craning her neck to look through the entrance to her den. "You two are just worrying every other cat; they'll think I have greencough or another harsh disease."

Embersky looked down at the sickly leader, frowning. "I'll be the judge of that, Silverstar," she murmured.

The medicine cat bent down, sniffing her flank. She smelt something strange on her; normally, most sicknesses were internal – they couldn't be smelt. But infection could've been a cause, and it usually had a rotting scent, depending on what caused it.

_It's not infection, _She frowned, returning to her normal position. Her brother looked at her questioningly, but she waved her tail, bending back down.

She allowed her muzzle to hover over Silverstar's flank; she felt heat coming from the older cat's body, hotter than what would've been normal. She withdrew her muzzle, blinking rapidly as to process the information.

_A fever? _Embersky looked up to her littermate, frowning even deeper. She turned from his worried, golden-furred face, and back to Silverstar.

The older she-cat's green eyes looked exhausted; mentally and physically. She breathed out heavily, her breath short and ragged. Embersky narrowed her eyes, looking closer at Silverstar's nose – crusted mucus lined her silver-gray nose.

"You have a fever, Silverstar," Embersky told her gently, watching as the RobinClan leader blinked, a shocked expression appearing across her aging features.

Tawnyfire frowned, flattening his ears to his head. "Are you sure?" he asked, flicking his ears as Embersky snorted.

"She has too much body heat, she looks exhausted, and her nose is clogged. It doesn't take a kit to know that that's a fever," she told him, shaking her head. "It's curable, but you can't run around out of your nest with it."

Silverstar flared her nostrils, looking like she wanted to argue, but more coughs racketed her body, and she remained silent.

Tawnyfire bent down, giving the leader's ears a swift lick. "It'll be alright, Silverstar," he murmured, glancing up at his sister. "You're in the best paws."

Embersky forced an uplifting smile.

_She'll be alright; _Embersky looked back at the coughing leader. _But I just hope that she doesn't continue to carry on as leader with that cold. _

**. B L A Z E C L A W . **

_He smiled, purring radiantly. The wind howled from the north; the hills that made the edge of the Clan's territory brought chilly winds that made even the cat with the thickest coat shiver. A golden tabby tail flicked, and he allowed his whiskers to twitch. _

_A creamy-colored she-cat bounced ahead of him, thick tail lashing back and forth and whiskers twitching as she bounded forward. _

_The ginger tom smiled, bounding after her. _

"_Wait, Rosepaw!" he laughed, grinning. _

_The she-cat threw him a smirk over her shoulder, continuing to run ahead of him. She slipped through the abundance of ferns and foliage with skill and stealth; he admired her for that. _

"_You have to be quicker, Blazepaw," she purred._

_The ginger tom halted as he saw her disappear; he could hardly smell her since they had both planned to cover themselves with foxdung – Rosepaw's idea, not his own – so that the patrols from their Clan's couldn't scent them._

_Blazepaw craned his neck, attempting to find her once again. "Rosepaw?" he called, cocking his head to the side in puzzlement. "Oh, come on! You can't hide from me – you know that BriarClan cats aren't as quick as you RobinClan cats are!" _

_Suddenly, a giggle from above made him look up. He peeked through the thick canopies of leaves from the pine trees, searching for the owner of the voice. _

"_I can't believe the fiercely loyal Blazepaw insulted his own Clan's skills!" _

_Rosepaw's defined face appeared from a layer of leaves, smirking. "I thought you pledged that your Clan was the best?" she asked, cocking her head to the side in mock-wonder. _

_Blazepaw scrunched up his muzzle, playfully growling at her. "Oh, it's on now RobinClan!" he growled, unsheathing his claws so he could climb the tree. Rosepaw giggled again, her face disappearing through the canopy._

_The BriarClan apprentice purred, bounding toward the trunk of the tree. He sank his claws into the admittedly soft tree bark – he guessed it was rotting – and lifted himself from the ground, starting to climb the tall tree. _

_A creamy-brown shape flicked from the top of the tree branches; RobinClan cats were known for their excellent climbing skills. This often made them more of hunters then fighters, which sometimes caused the other two Clan's to pester them and know that they would have a harder time defeating them in battle. _

"_You can't catch me!" Rosepaw called down from high up the tree. Blazepaw saw a flash of white teeth; the RobinClan apprentice was grinning at him._

_He smirked, bunching up his hind legs on the top of the tree trunk. He leaped up, landing on the branch a little above his head level. Rosepaw was making a clatter above him; he could hear the leaves and branches rattling as she continued to climb up the tall tree. _

"_I'll catch you, Rosepaw!"_

He coughed, feeling his lungs ache from within him; he watched as a grotesque pile of mucus launched out of his throat. He whimpered, his chest aching so intensely that he thought a badger was ripping its large claws into his chest.

"S-S-Smallfeather," he whispered, watching as the smaller white she-cat fretfully looked up from talking with his mate, her amber eyes worried as her gaze swathed over his pelt.

"Blazeclaw…," she whispered, staring down at the pile of neat ginger fur that lay beside his flank.

His mate, Streamwing, let out a cry, looking at her mate. Her belly, swelled with kits, heaved as sobs racked her body, her green eyes overflowing with the immense amount of grief that she felt.

The gray she-cat attempted to reach him, to possibly rub her muzzle against her dying mate, until Smallfeather held her back, staring at the ginger tom.

"No!" she snapped, her usually calm demeanor being replaced by worry. "You can't; he contracted the disease from Brooksong when he gave prey to her." She whispered, flattening her ears to her head. Smallfeather hung her head. "There's nothing I can do."

Blazeclaw coughed; it was more harsh and body-moving than the last, and it made his throat feel as if it was tearing in half. Streamwing sobbed, burying her face in Brightstar's shoulder.

He reached out to touch her when the world suddenly twisted into black like waves lapping at the stones.

_He wasn't in StarClan, for some reason; he was in a familiar forest, watching as the leaves swayed back and forth, the sunlight casting it's golden light on them like veins. _

"_Where am I?" he asked, twitching his muzzle in puzzlement. _

_He gasped as he suddenly saw a familiar creamy-brown shape, slinking around the forest; except she was smaller than she was the last time he saw her. _

"_Rosefeather?" he called; she didn't turn. "Rosefeather!" _

_Silence and stars swathing around him was his only response._

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><p><strong>This ended very quickly. I am sort of ashamed. <strong>

**Ah well. **

**Thank you everyone for the eight reviews! Seriously, I was extremely happy for that, and I hope that everyone can continue with their awesomeness in reviews!**


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